


Sango - Thranduil Prompt Request

by blankdblank



Series: Prompts/Requests [6]
Category: Real Person Fiction, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Cosplay, Fallen to Middle Earth, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-07-24 19:37:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 41,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16181789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: @alishlieb“Ah, he’s playing hard-to-get. That’s cute.”  Combined with “I don’t think this is a good idea.”119. I like the idea of a girl from another world thrown into the hobbit. Her being honestly ridiculously cheerful and her clashing against thranduils cold person but her not giving a damn and giving him a hard time but secretly he like it. I also like the idea of combining it with I dont this is a good idea and have her do some really risky shit during the battle of five armies





	1. Chapter 1

In a slow backtrack Bilbo exited the warm sitting room of his home, in his attempt to claim his chair for an early morning read only to find among the group of sleeping Dwarves was a peculiar sleeping young woman. Cloaked in a white and magenta wrap with a green skirt tied over it with black and bright pink boots peeking out from underneath. Behind her back was her long deep black ponytail pressed against a giant crooked shield of some sort with thick dark brown straps draping to her shoulder. The men were known of, irritating but at least they had announced themselves. In a quiet huff he marched straight to the guest room he had claimed, his firm knock drawing a grumble followed by the shuffling of feet until the door was opened exposing the sleep riddled King and his partially tangled hair.

A firm glare came from Thorin as he growled out, “Yes Master Baggins?”

Twitching his brow Bilbo crossed his arms stating in a hushed tone, “I’ve said nothing of your men, they had manners enough to announce themselves at the door, but this Sister or Cousin of yours asleep by my fire is pressing the line!”

Raising a brow Thorin asked, “Sister?” His eyes lowered to the ground mentally retracing the men’s lines for any females able or physically willing to come, “Show me.”

Bilbo huffed rolling his eyes through a turn, promptly leading him to the sitting room doorway once again only to see the King’s expression drop. In another whisper Bilbo asked, “Well?”

Thorin met his gaze lowly uttering back, “Where is the Wizard?!”

Bilbo turned leading him to the guest room where Gandalf was curled haphazardly on the small mattress only to jolt awake at the Dwarf’s foot knocking against his, scanning over the pair Gandalf inquired why he was woken so early only to draw a ripple of awakening through the Dwarves that all pulled away from you and your curious looking stuffed twin tailed cat curled in your arms.

…

All around you in the bustle of the packed airport you mingled among the countless others all bearing the same destination as you. The one thing cluing you to that mainly was the great line of costumed adults and children all heading for the comic and manga convention out in this ocean front state. But in all this commotion you and your massive painted Styrofoam imitation Hiraikotsu on your back, the main weapon recognizable for the teenage demon slayer you had chosen to dress as this year. Under your magenta and white kimono you donned a long deep green skirt tied over it also shielding the black leather outfit coated with various flashes of pink armored pads over your elbows, shoulders, stomach and lower back. The latter two secured with a red sash matching the ones securing the large leg braces covering the top of your tall boots reaching to your knees.

With a sigh you avoided yet another tall spiked shoulder nearly crashing into you, same as every other year you nearly got slammed into by each and every man imitating one of the countless warriors from the recently released Viking show, before that being the Mad Max fans breaking out their doomsday battle gear and the obvious legion of orcs the years before that. But curiously enough against the crowds a band of children in Hobbit costumes made their way straight to you. Over the crowds you couldn’t understand their words so when their hands clasped yours dragging you away you felt no sense to worry at the reasoning. But in the silence a sack was drawn and a simple shove sent you straight through a poster coating a brick wall. Warm and golden light was all you saw after crashing through a poster of a cracked round green door while hushed whispers of ‘Gandalf’ were heard as you lost consciousness and were pushed into the sack they bore.

…

With furrowed brows your eyes blinked open at the hushed conversation of the bearded men before you around a curiously frowning Hobbit staring at you while he tugged on the deep blue clad Dwarf Leader’s sleeve. A soft giggle from you turned their heads forcing their silence. Lowering your face your legs shifted to rest crossed before you as you mumbled, “I must have fallen head first.”

Looking up your eyes met Gandalf’s as he said with a soft smile, “My Dear Child, I am so pleased you made it just in time.”

Your brow rose as you gasped softly, “You sent those Hobbits after me!”

He chuckled lowly as Bilbo’s expression shifted to a slightly stunned one that Gandalf would do such a thing as kidnapping a young woman. Stepping forward Thorin said, “You did not come on your own?”

“No! I would have packed differently! Instead of this plastic-.” Your hand lowered drawing a dagger from your left arm brace glistening brightly in the firelight stirring you to sit up straighter gliding your finger sideways against the obviously steel blade to your once plastic dagger. Promptly you set it down and gripped the hilt of your formerly unnoticed katana on your waist to draw it out, revealing a few inches of the blade also proving to be solid steel before your turning and tapping your giant boomerang with your fist feeling much harder and shining slightly with smoothed lines across it much like a giant tooth it had been formed from. With a gasp you met the Wizard’s eye, “It’s all real.”

He nodded his head with a soft chuckle offering you his hands to help you onto your feet in a hunched position like his as he stated, “My Dear Bilbo, would you be so kind as to fetch our guest some tea?” He nodded and raced to do that while you sheathed your dagger again and joined the group in the dining room where he shared your role in the quest constantly ignoring the question of “Why Me?!”

A question only answered with another chuckle and a twinkling gaze of, “What we need on this Journey is a little Hope and imagination. That My Dear Miss Pear is exactly why you.”

With a sigh Thorin consented to your joining the Journey, but only after your digging through your pack to find your sketch journal with the hidden inscription marked on the front cover resembling the map of the lonely mountain. His smile flickering out at the answers you gave to his question you knew of his kin already along with your near fluency in their secret tongue and Ancient Dwarvish runes. Winning over Bilbo was far easier with an apology and the sharing of your hidden stash of sweets you had tucked away in your small duffel bag to keep your Cousin from stealing them as she always did. With the sunrise you claimed the horse you were offered in Bree, a former work horse not fit to bear any but a weightless Elf, the latest of your surprises, for once marking you among the tallest of your group behind Gandalf.

Easily you accepted your fate, eager to see just how you could aid the group with your main comfort being that you had lost the coin toss against your Cousin on who would play Kagome this year. Past your coin toss the obvious reasons of you having larped as her already, even going so far as training in several martial arts forms leaving you far more comfortable as a representation as Sango the Demon Slayer. So with a fresh set of bangs and your hair straightened you were off and somehow now here leaving only the question of how long your Cousin would get through your week long trip before realizing you never made it out of the airport.

…

Through the darkness you followed the line of Dwarves into the troll caves and out again for a lengthy race through the open fields where through the whipping of your Hiraikotsu several of the wargs fell between the drawing of your length of chain strapped to your hip along with your katana aiding the Dwarves in their bringing down the rest of the orcs and wargs. All bearing greatly impressed expressions at not only your hand to hand skills but the ease at which you wielded the giant boomerang taller than you were without a worry as to any harm for yourself or them in your aim and capture.

Entry into Rivendell was easy enough and the tall creatures there were more than eager to meet the Elleth in the strange company upon your arrival. With your ponies and horses led away you joined the line all following the slightly frightened Lindir still mentally recovering from your excited hug when he first arrived to greet you. Mentally he relayed your greeting partially assuming you had been raised by mortals until Gandalf had shared his sending for you. An easy smile slid on Elrond’s face when he stepped forward to greet you himself only to be curled in a tight hug himself drawing a weak chuckle from him as he patted your back gently in return. Your excited giggle, bounce and beaming smile lighting up your purple eyes only adding to the oddity of your slightly pointed canine teeth when you nipped at your lower lip through his warm welcome and tour through the city ending at your room to bathe and change before supper.

..

More and more after your exit from Rivendell you had to draw from your physical training to defend yourself and the men around you all now expecting quite a great deal from you in the end goal of reclaiming their home. In all of this you still struggled through the shock of it all, the familiarity and yet also foreign elements to this world and the creatures within its borders.

With a firm hold on your boomerang after your latest toss you skidded and rose in the path of the next spider just as you’d planned spying the stunned Elves circling your group bringing down the last of the spiders fell to a hard swing from your boomerang. Rising from your crouch your body turned as a familiar red head approached you cautiously eyeing the Dwarves in your midst. Her eyes snapped back to you at your giggle before you pulled her into a tight hug, “Tauriel, it’s really you!” Your giggle making her brow rise as you pulled back with another giggle looking up at her with a bright smile, “Wow, you really are beautiful.”  In a stunned silence she turned her head watching you walk around her to gently shift her braid as the armed Elves watched you to see if you meant her any harm, “How do you manage your braids, I can barely manage a single thick braid without it being crooked or missing a section.” Her head shifted so you could met her gaze again as she eyed your pitch black curl filled high ponytail reaching the center of your back.

“I have an aid, to assist me.”

Your smile grew again as your head turned to the blonde Prince eyeing your pink and black full body armored suit stirring another giggle form you drawing his eyes to yours with a confused blink at your approach through shouldering your boomerang. Looking his armored shirt in return you asked, “Is it heavy, your outer shirt?” His lips parted at your fingers rising to trace along a set of the layered leaves resembling scales over his shoulders, “It is impossibly well crafted. So much more detailed than mine.”

After your circle of him he met your gaze again curiously trying to compare the shade of your eyes to something sharing its shade, “It is not heavy. How do you know our Captain?”

Your smile grew again causing him to tilt his head at your next giggle, “That, Prince Legolas Greenleaf is quite a complicated answer to share, one your Father might ask as well when he learns I know his name too.”

Against his control a hint of a smile cracked onto his face at your next giggle causing him to look over your Companions and reply, “I trust your companions mean our people no harm. I will lead you to our King.”

His body turned and he and the guards were shocked at your remaining at his side in a curiously happy bouncing pace on your toes for the trip leaving you barely above his shoulders still. The entire trip you peppered him with countless questions after grabbing your duffel bag from Bilbo when he joined your side as Tauriel kept her spot on the other side of Bilbo listening in to your conversation trying to see who you were and why you would compliment her so.

.

In a full line the Dwarves halted in the throne room, looking up at the throne while you trotted beside the Prince who curiously glanced at you when you propped your hand on his shoulder through your inspection of the winding branches and bridges above the giant raised throne stirring another weak smile at your staggering tiptoed stance and innocent curious gaze. Above you a flat velvety voice sounded through your point up at a certain statue drawing the Prince’s eye as you leaned in to inquire what it was of. His response drew the eye of the King who promptly went silent and rose to his feet descending the stairs to question the woman who dared touch his Son.

His path ending at your eyes landing on him paired with your bright smile and step forward causing a chuckle from the watching Prince who eyed your slight turn your body shifted in on your continued tip toeing stance. Without a single word from the King your words drew a stunned twitch in his brow at your stating, “In all the books they never mentioned the spark in your eyes.” Inhaling slowly he couldn’t help but look you over, taking in the details of your figure hugging armor as well as the giant object strapped across your back. “Your palace is much more impressive than written about as well, and the forest is nowhere as bad as they say. Your robe is impressive as well.”

“You mean to flatter me into your favor?”

Your quick giggle and step closer to his right stirred his eyes to follow your turning path, “Oh no. I would never do you the insult of assuming you were so easily swayed.”

His eyes scanned over your back and greater over your boomerang at your turning to inspect his throne before it shifted and he got a fuller view of your silhouette in your turn back to him at his asking, “Your compliments then, serve you how?”

You met his gaze again with another smile spotting his stern expression dropping back leaving him in a more stoic one through his next inhale, “They achieve nothing past my expression of my opinions.” He inhaled slowly through your admiring the shifting shimmering silver shade of his robes in the firelight at your shifting around him, “Though I understand your reason to believe otherwise.”

“What reason do you have to enter my lands?”

“Me personally? Well just me I’m passing through. For the true reason you’d have to hunt down Mithrandir and his band of kidnapping Hobbits.”

“Kidnapping Hobbits?”

You nodded, “See I was on this trip with my Cousin and these little children dressed like Hobbits came up to me, then shoved me through this wall and I woke up in Bilbo’s house.” His eyes followed your hand to Bilbo who waved at him gaining a head nod in return from the King who then eyed you and turned as you started your story again while you eyed the floors and distant roof above. “And we’ve been traveling since the Shire and there’s still so far to go yet and all these orcs and goblins on their way.” His eyes met yours when you stopped to say, “And you really should tie your hair back you know, and that cape, really bad idea for battle. But anyways then there’s Dain and your banter, which also needs some work, a ‘pointy eared this’ and a ‘bushy bearded that’ I mean really, Kings are better than that. Name calling.”

“Now you insult me.” Raising his brow with a playful spark in his eyes earning a playful glare from you.

“I am merely stating a fact. There is a common goal and a common enemy and yet from what I’ve seen of you all, your interactions need improvement no matter the previous slights against one another.”

“And now you lecture me.”

With a giggle you smiled at him spotting his brow twitching up again in his struggle to withhold his own. “You are a tradesman turned King, Son of a tradesman turned King. The King in my Company was a Prince turned blacksmith returning to a King like his Father and Grandfather before him. If you are looking for enemies you shouldn’t be looking in the allies in front of you. Just merely a suggestion King Thranduil.”

“And just why should I heed these, suggestions of yours?”

His eyes scanned over you in your steps to stop before him again with a wider smile, “You won’t most likely. But it will be amusing watching you struggle against the common sense behind them.” He kept his gaze on you as you walked back to your group as you said, “But no worries, I am just as patient as you. You’ll see it, until then, I can wait.” You turned again as Thorin smirked through his passing you while you said, “I look forward to our night in your dungeons, I hear the waterfalls are breathtaking in the moonlight.”

His brow twitched again as he caught your wink at him through another giggle as Thorin halted before him waiting until Thranduil met his gaze. With a steady exhale Thranduil lowered his eyes to Thorin simply stating, “My Son will show you to your rooms.”

His eyes scanned over the group passing him then looked at you again stating, “Miss-.”

You met his gaze with a growing smile contrasting his stoic gaze, “Pear, Jaqi Pear.”

As you stepped closer to him he waited until the Dwarves were in the hall to state plainly, “I will never grant them leave while that beast draws breath. You have imprisoned them here. I hope you know that.”

His brow twitched again at your giggle through stepping closer to him in a partial turn, “I expect nothing less King Thranduil.” With another giggle from you his eyes darted to the doorway eyeing the group of Dwarves waiting for you, completely missing your rise higher on your toes. His eyes widened at your arms momentarily circling his torso and lips pressing to his cheek then dropped to you mid turn as you giggled again bouncing over to join your group struggling not to react to your boundary crossing.

..

Freshly bathed and changed into a simple pink gown gifted to you from Lord Elrond you eyed the stoic King entering the dining room staring intently at you on his path to his seat, which in his mind was startlingly far from you at his assumption Thorin had chosen you to delegate between them for this visit. Plainly through the meal you smiled and chatted with Ori and Bilbo across from the chuckling Bur Brothers who all shared tales they had started in the beginning of the trek inside Mirkwood only to halt at their minds going foggy. Your giggles and smiles flowing through the meal as Thorin held his smile at the Elf King staring intently at you through the entire meal between his responses to Thorin and Balin at his sides missing his Son and Tauriel getting to know the Princes better.

Your yawn however signaling a ripple of shared reactions through the group marking your return to your rooms again for the night. But unlike their reactions yours was forced, and once in your room you rifled through your bags and found the pack of sketched out maps Balin had made for you at your asking of the path from the treasury to the front gates and throne room and a number of floor plans he could remember along with the key you managed to collect from Thorin after dinner when Ori whispered your plan to him as you were escorted back.

Cloaked in your armor and bearing your weapons once again you quietly slipped out of your room hearing that the guards chuckling down the hall at the wine one of them had snuck under their tunics. Wordlessly you followed the path you knew straight for the unguarded cellar, with chain in hand you climbed into one of the barrels and whipped the chain around the lever, tugged it free and ducked inside using you boomerang to cover the opening of your barrel so it wouldn’t snap on the fall. For hours in the dark you slammed around inside your barrel bobbing and bouncing after the first waterfall until you finally reached a familiar small island.

Panting heavily you collapsed in your less than graceful attempt to exit the barrel, for a few moments you laid there collecting your breath and steadying yourself from the world swaying around you. When still again you raised Hiraikotsu and walked to the far shore laying it flat and climbing on top, slowly paddling your way to the distant goal.

Soon enough your feet planted on the rocky shore and you made your way towards the base of the mountain, easily enough the stairs were found, climbed and the key slid along the area you knew the key hole to be hidden in until it sank and turned. After a trading of titles and riddles the unsuspecting Dragon turned in what he believed to be a surprise attack only to get a smoke bomb to the face gaining a loud roar waking all creatures in the kingdoms around you followed by a skilled toss of your boomerang claiming his head triggering a thunderous quake rippling out through the lake and woods.

…

Breathing raggedly the Elf King returned to his bed chamber awaiting news of your readied state for the meal in which he fully intended on learning more about the woman stealing such an intimate contact with him. All through his years he’d never come across such a woman, far from just your eyes and your hint of fangs trapped in your bright smile. With giant weapons at your disposal he was truly awed at your being, and then your words, such knowing statements even he dared not deny to be true. His every wish was to follow them explicitly and trust you knew the way to end the beast and bring peace to their lands once again, but time had shown him that not all that is fair can be trusted. Against his very core he issued his verdict, you were never to leave, none of you.

In his path to dinner he eyed the doorway parting you in a near hungry gaze unsure of its reasoning. Swiftly he led his smirking Son and Captain of his Guard to the meal the three of them were eager to see unfold. The door swung open revealing a stunning pink velvet clad figure far too distant from the comfortable chair he has set beside his in the belief you would be placed there. Surely that weapon weighed heavily on your back and shoulders and you required a more suitable seat to relax in, but more importantly it was meant for you, and only you, not the Dwarf King currently sitting in it. No matter what was said by Thorin he couldn’t tear his eyes away from you, every word, smile and gesture stabbing at him but nowhere as deep as your not meeting his eyes once through the meal driving his inability to address you even deeper into his chest.

Circling his rooms in a pacing path Thranduil racked his brain unsure of what to do, only pausing in his sitting room to press his forehead against his doorframe trying to gather why in a few moments you had worked so deeply into his mind. A few compliments followed by your passionate embrace and gentle lips landing on his cheek followed by plain avoidance, and that yawn, so fake, just when he was about to call out to you, surely he was better than this, nowhere as easily as swayed by anyone. 

In a turn he sighed and paused his eyes on the card table in the corner stirring a smirk on his face. “Cards, that’s it. I’ll offer a game of cards.”  Challenging playful spark ran through his eyes on his path to set up a round of snacks and tea to arrange around the table, just as the servant outside his door was summoned to gather you he eyed the clock noting the nearing sunrise and decided to send him anyway. With lips parted to give the order silence split through the palace following a great roar. “Fetch Miss Pear.”

Promptly the servant raced to fetch you while the King raced to his closet to pull on his armor, turning only as Legolas raced in to help him secure it. Quietly they worked the protective layers on him even through the unnoticed entrance of the servant who called out, “My King, Miss Pear is gone.”

With parted lips and a forming scowl the King ordered his soldiers be summoned and entered the hall where he locked eyes with Thorin stating, “You sent her on this death mission!”

Thorin’s brows furrowed in return, “I sent Miss Pear nowhere and ordered nothing! Her path is of her own choosing!”

Thranduil exhaled shakily and turned to join his soldiers stating, “You are not to leave my Kingdom!”

With a chuckle Thorin smirked at his back calling out, “Don’t forget about your hair and cloak Your Majesty.” Thranduil turned to meet his gaze spotting his smirk, “She did warn you.”

Exhaling again Thranduil turned forward continuing his path, waiting to ease his hair tie he had around his wrist until he reached the gates, twisting his hair up into a bun as he left his cloak with the guard inside the gates, mounted his Elk and raced to the edge of the forest.

...

Through the mountain a horn echoed once again stirring a groan from you. Painfully your head throbbed as you rose to your knees, blinking through the dimly lit hall, gripping Hiraikotsu, using it to help you stand again after your head had crashed into the wall after Smaug’s tail had knocked you into it in his body’s death flail. Warmly the trickle of blood continued down your face on your slightly turned around limping path toward the front gate after a stop in the treasury.

In a clatter your weapons hit the ground while your hands worked out the small metal coated slot opening with a loud creak drawing the eye of the Elves dismounting while you blinked an settled your sight in the blinding light.

A step to your right you looked through the slot catching the King’s fierce glare as he stated, “You’re bleeding.”

Your eyes rose while a smile spread on your face threatening to crack through his determined plan to be cross with you at your abrupt leaving. “I like your bun.”

Exhaling sharply he stated, “I explicitly stated-.”

“That you would not permit the Dwarves to leave while the beast drew breath.” His brow twitched as you stated, “I am not a Dwarf, and he is no longer breathing.” His eyes lowered to the small chest in your hand you held at your shoulder, “Now I believe we might have a more even scale for bartering, King Thranduil.”

His eyes met yours again with another playful spark as he held out his hand for a small thrush resting on his Elk’s antlers to whom he stated when it landed in his palm, “Kindly send word to my Son to wake Thorin and his Company, and have a meal prepared.”

The bird flew off with a nod as the King eyed the door opening after you’d shouldered your boomerang and sheathed your sword gripping the circle of keys you had found the night prior to unlock the gate. In a limping step you closed the slot, exited and locked it behind you watching the King’s moving closer to you aiding in your path to a half wall on the bridge he crossed to get to the gate and raised you to sit on it, easing the boomerang to the ground before his healer came forward at his request. Flatly the King stated, “You should not have come alone.”

Your weak giggle sounded after a soft hiss at the stinging cream the Elleth slicked across the bump and gash on your forehead. “And just how else was I to surprise the big beasty, hmm? Your army would have signaled his attack. Alone I had a chance of keeping him inside the mountain, contained.”

In a step to his right to claim a full view of you once again he stated plainly, “Your words do not negate your injuries.”

With a giggle from you his brow twitched up again, “Oh yes, a knot on my forehead and a twisted ankle.” In a playful mock swooning voice with the back of your hand pressed to your forehead you continued, “How ever shall I survive and fend for myself with such permanent wounds.” His eyes sparked again when you caught his gaze again lowering your hand back to your lap, “Meahdros really laid it on thick with his missing hand, nothing compared to mine.”

Against his control a smirk twitched on the Kings face as he fought as best he could to contain the chuckle your words had stirred from him. A small circle rubbing his face as he coughed to cover it he regained his composure through eyeing his chuckling guards before turning to you once again catching your next giggle while you watched a guard step forward to claim your boomerang from the King. In another step once your cut had been mended he gripped your legs at his side as his other arm secured around your back for the walk to his Elk. His eyes lowered to you at your arm resting on his shoulder for a few moments as your finger traced around his ear stirring a faint blush on his cheeks then lowered when he shifted his grip to raise you onto the saddle and climbed on behind you.

..

Curiously the Dwarves waited sharing hushed statements about ways you could have escaped as well as how you could have handled Smaug. Your path however in front of the silent King taking in your heavier apple scent curiously racked his brain as to how you had escaped. At the edge for the forest he asked, “Just how did you manage your escape?”

With a giggle you glanced back at him feeling his hand around your middle trying not to draw you even closer to him in case you tried to break away from him again. “That would spoil all the fun.”

“Your door will remain guarded then.”

Your giggle sounded again, “I’ve no reason to run away just yet, why bore a guard with that detail?” You faced forward again and felt his chest meet your back for a moment through his large calming inhale.

“Why do you insist on avoiding divulging your plans?”

“I have no plans. I was taken to aid Thorin in reclaiming his home. Now my place is under the Wizard’s control, if he is to allow me to stay or send me back.”

“Mithrandir has no command over any under my rule.” Your smile grew as you giggled under your breath at the unconscious tightening of his grip just slightly around your middle while you pictured his firm scowl returning at the threat of your leaving.

…

The gates opened before you as the King’s boots hit the ground, his eyes watched your leg swing over the knot in the saddle as you turned allowing him to grab you. Lowering you in his arms to carry you inside and straight to the sitting room where the healers waiting there approached your side aiding you in unstrapping the brace from around your boot then gently eased your throbbing ankle out of said boot freeing it for their inspection. Once uncovered, the King eyed the lace and chain design etched into your skin across the top of your foot and around your ankle then met your gaze again as you said, “I take it you don’t have any tattoos?”

He shook his head, “Why that design? Lace and chains.”

With a playful gaze you asked, “You don’t like it?” His brow twitched as the door opened signaling him to turn around to face the entering Prince and Dwarves that all rushed over to you inspecting your wounds between joyful hugs and laughs. Turning your head you met Balin’s gaze as he asked, “Tweaked your ankle?”

With a chuckle you set out your sketches he had drawn and pointed at a section, “There’s stairs here.”

Inhaling sharply Balin replied, “Oh. My apologies.”

You shook your head, “Not your fault, they’re tucked behind a statue and I was in a bit of a hurry.” Meeting Thorin’s gaze you said, “Spotted the stone, but it got knocked away from my sight in the gold.” You tossed him a spike you had sliced off in your attack, “But it is there.”

He chuckled accepting the spike and passed it around then eyed the chest at your side you handed over as well causing his eyes to shift to Thranduil as he said, “I take it now we’ve grounds for trade?”

Thranduil nodded motioning for the men to take their seats while you were helped to your room to scrub yourself clean and change before returning. With your curls hanging freely around you your hands raised the sleeves on your sweater to your elbows as it hung loosely over your black jeans resting across the tops of your bare feet. Under your arms you tucked the crutches they granted you and made your way back to the sitting room far easier than they had imagined you to be able to use them, not knowing of the countless times your clumsiness has landed you in various boots and wraps before.

The conversing Kings fell silent at your entrance eyeing your easy path to the table and shifting turn to lower yourself into the chair opposite Thorin on Thranduil’s right as a servant claimed your crutches and returned to her spot along the wall. Turning his head Thranduil stated, “You’re moving quite easily with those already.”

You smirked at him, “Not my first tumble down the stairs.” Your eyes shifted to Thorin and his warm smile at you at your asking, “So, reached a deal yet?”

Thorin, “Partly.”

Raising a brow you crossed your injured leg over the other leaning back in the much more comfortable chair than yours from the night before, “What’s to get stuck on?”

Thranduil turned his head meeting your gaze, “My terms, Thorin and his Company all have safe passage to Erebor, I get my jewels. That much is agreed.”

“And the trouble?”

Thorin, “Thranduil is insisting you remain here until Erebor is rebuilt, due to your injuries.”

Thranduil, “The mountain is unfit for your housing in this state.”

Pressing your lips against your curled knuckles after your elbow rested on the arm of your chair a chuckle fought to leave you at his insistence while Thorin stated in Khuzdul,  **“We will not leave you here under his imprisonment.”**

Promptly a tea cart was brought in and Thranduil stated “I will not be moved on this” on his path to fetch you tea, your eyes met Thorin’s stirring a matching smile on his face as you replied I their tongue,  ** _“Ah. He’s playing hard-to-get. How cute_**.” A chuckle sounded from Thorin and his kin before you said,  **“The mountain needs watching, whether you go now or when Dain arrives at your word is up to you. But don’t use me as a hindrance to claiming your throne, I have the key and a few tricks to escaping if need be.”**

With a sigh Thorin nodded and looked to Thranduil as he set a teacup before you on the table while his eyes scanned over the slit partly folded back exposing the top of your cleavage at his angle above you then raised them to meet Thorin’s at his throat clearing. “King Thranduil, we return freely, you keep your jewels promising to meet for trade at a later date as Miss Pear remains under your care until the mountain is suitable to house her properly to her new station.”

Thranduil nodded then lowered his gaze to you asking, “How do you take your tea?”

...

Between the crashes, growls and screams a clear whooshing sounded turning the head of the Elves in the courtyard of Dale, with a sudden step to the right the Giant Elk and King on his back watched the giant boomerang soar past them taking out the row of orcs before soaring right back to you. With a firm scowl Thranduil followed its path back past him and your sliding when your hand caught the loop dangling from it before your leap up beheading a troll with it drawing cheers from the Dwarves around you at the fearsome weapon. Through your body turning you caught the King’s eye and you called out, “Supposed to be in bed, I know!”

Exhaling sharply Thranduil dismounted and raced after you on foot, meeting your side spotting your path straight for the Durins searching a set of ruined towers as he stated,  _“I don’t think this is a good idea.”_

With a scoff you replied, “Arguably, lately none of my ideas are very good.” His eyes met yours as you giggled again and darted away from his side whipping the large boomerang around your head with a fiery gaze on your pasty white target and beside his equally as hideous son towering over the Princes and Thorin locked in a weaving battle as more orcs approached and wargs joined the chase after you and the Elf King. Firmly it hit its target and looped around straight for you, with wide eyes the King darted to his left slicing at the first warg snapping at him. Backwards you slid on the icy rocks at your gripping the flying weapon, whipping it in a firm circle taking out three wargs and turning to stand before the King shielding his back and yourself with it catching his stunned gaze at your pressing against him at the force of the blow landing on your weapon.

In a reach to your hip you released your chain turning around your weapon, swinging it in a loop around its neck while you leapt up curling your legs around another’s head snapping its neck as Thranduil beheaded the one your chain was secured around. On the ground again you whipped your chain around another orc as you shielded yourself once again before your boomerang was sent off again at the troll aiming for Thorin’s head with a mace freeing you to draw your blade easily slicing through a great number of orcs before your catching the weapon once more. Your last turn ending with you driving it down straight into the head of another warg whose back you’d landed on after beheading another troll.

A smirk eased on the Elf King’s face at your talents but soon dropped at your vanishing one more, but soon an explosion in the distance followed by a brief set of shrieks mingled with a loud scream. Chasing the noise you were spotted rolling from your knees onto your back clapping your hand over your mouth through tearful giggles laying your weapons at your side while a dark haired man joined your side looking you over carefully. In a few moments the Elf and Dwarf King had raced to you forcing the man away, back to his children as the ruined tower across from them had settled even flatter. Peering up at the man Thranduil asked “What happened?”

His gaze lowering to you as your other hand clapped over your mouth as your giggles grew and more tears slid across your face through his answer, “She came out of nowhere, took out the tower full of orcs and that warg on her path down the steps.”

The eldest girl behind him added, “Just started laughing after her fall.”

The boy said, “Might be her side, slammed pretty hard. Ma used to laugh when she hurt herself, knocks and bruises just started laughing.”

Looking down at you again Thranduil eyed your body settling as your laughing died and you giggled out, “I think I broke a rib.” Before giggling again while Thorin chuckled and wiped your cheeks.

Thranduil leaned back in his crouching position missing Thorin raising you in his arms as Dwaling grabbed your weapons as the Elf King looked at the man asking, “And who are you to the Lady?”

Bard shrugged, “Never met her before. Shouted our names and blocked an attack.”

With a sharp exhale Thanduil looked to your former spot only to rise and look around before striding after you in the Dwarf King’s arms on his path to the healing tent following the sounds of your returning laughter at the Dwarves bets on what the Elf King was to say and do when he caught up to you again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can I do another request based off the last one a continuation with 185 and 186 ? Lol I told you I get hooked on your writing lol. Maybe have her say ok well now that were done here let's go kill a balrog cant be all that different then a dragon  
> Can I add 190 for the continuation too ? I think that would fit. Ugh I love it  
> I just see thranduil not willing or wanting her to leave. Like ever. " you’re mine, where you go I go."  
> “Be with me.”   
> “I’m vulnerable around you, and it only gets worse when you smile.”   
> “I’m surrendering myself to you; body and soul. What more do you want?”

“How did you escape my Kingdom, again?” Your smirk flashed through his mind once again as Thranduil laid in his bed staring up at the ceiling trying to figure out just what your intentions were. You’d been so faithful to this ragged band of Dwarves and an odd Hobbit who had wandered so far from home. His life had been in your hands more than once and even as near strangers you had faced countless blows in his place to protect him and his kin. Since your first meeting the living puzzle you had become seemed to only grow more difficult by the minute.

With a sigh his eyes closed for a moment as he listened to the final touches being placed on the celebration floors below, soon after his mind had wandered to your actions post battle. After scrubbing clean and changing his walk to the garden venue housing the celebration he’d paused at the soft humming from a garden on the way, unable to place the tune he curiously followed it. Just past a row of azaleas he paused at your slumbering figure in the middle of a patch of grass coated in the grass growing around you with a few blooming daisies in the midst.

Under the bright moonlight above he joined the on-looking group of Elves all taking notice of your now brightly glowing chain and lace tattoo coating your formerly injured foot and ankle with swirling designs of dots coating the other. Paired with a set of swirls surrounding your knees matching the set across your eyebrows reaching down to meet the rows of dots under your eyes and ears matching the ones over the backs of your fingers and hands reaching a set of swirls around your wrists. A soft gasp left him at the glowing markers placing you as from the Years of the Lamps, before the Two Trees were sprouted and fell forming the Sun and Moon under Yavanna and Aule’s crafting.

Stepping closer your mystery grew as he eyed your baggy thickly woven sweater in a deep violet over a pair of shockingly short shorts exposing most of your thighs that seemed to scream at him to gently stroke them, testing the silkiness of your skin. Averting his gaze back to your face he moved to your side crouching down, easing his hand under your propped up legs he held to his side while his other hand curled around the back of your neck raising you up to rest against his chest as he mumbled, “Broken ribs and you sleep in the gardens…”

Gently he raised you, straightened then turned feeling your long wall of curls settle over the back of his hand while he tried to remain calm at your soft sigh through your head nuzzling closer to his cheek. Along the way he felt the eyes of all he crossed, first at your place in his arms, something they had all adjusted to at his obvious attachment to you he had yet to understand, and secondly at your markings placing you at an age far surpassing their King leading them to wonder at who you really were and why Gandalf had brought you into the Dwarven Journey. No matter what his reasons were, or who you had once been he would never let you go, not without breaking again. Slowly he had pieced himself together after the great losses he and his kin had faced, but that first smile from you had stolen something from him, something he couldn’t place. Something he knew he could never get back, one he knew he could never live without, so helplessly to you he had clung on dreading each day bringing the Dwarves closer to completing their mountain.

With you safely in bed he settled into his after his checking on the details for the celebration, still feeling your skin against his and the soft sigh leaving you at your turn over to cling onto a pillow he greatly wished to take the place of. All night he had gone over every detail of you and the short time you’d had together, then groaned at his door opening. A chuckle from the doorway opened his eyes to find his Son entering with a grin on his path to sit beside him on the bed to share the news of his latest rounds.

“All clear, so far no more signs of nests. Heard a few whispers from Radagast through the trees of the Southern Wood are stirring, mentioned Ents are on the move.”

Thranduil nodded sitting up against his pillows he piled up behind him, “Wonder what they would be wanting here past complaining again at my mishandling the woods.”

Legolas chuckled curling one of his legs before him on the bed, “Oh it can’t be that bad. Should be nice to see them again. Who knows, perhaps Miss Pear hasn’t seen them yet.”

Thranduil smiled at his Son softly, “Or she has, who can be certain.” His eyes shifted to the door at a soft knock sounding through it.

With another chuckle Legolas replied, “Don’t be like that. I’m certain if she was here before the Trees she’s probably forgotten by some injury or an enchantment on her.”

Looking at the still unopened door through his soft sigh Thranduil stated, “Come in.” Glancing back at his Son wondering what detained the servant or guard from simply entering as usual. His answer coming as a rush of racing steps ended with your landing on your knees at his side widening his eyes while the Prince chuckled at your bright smile and terribly crooked loose braid landing over your shoulder with a soft giggle. Through that the shirtless King inhaled deeply trying to remain calm at his uncovered state before you.

Before he could say anything you glanced between the pair before locking eyes with the King again saying, “So, I know it’s a bit early, and you’ve probably got tons to do with your celebration and all, but I was wondering, you’ve invited the Company correct?”

He nodded, “Yes. It would be rather rude not to.” His eyes scanned over your sweater asking, “You looked over the gowns my Seamstresses selected for you?”

You nodded, “They said the maroon one suited me best.”

His brow rose, “Maroon? You should give the blue or silver one another glance. Those shades are far more fitting to your rank. Why they would add a maroon one I’ll never know. I will discuss that with them. It won’t happen again.”

“What’s wrong with maroon?”

Your eyes moved to Legolas as he stated, “Maroon is typically worn by lower level Elves in these lands.”

You shrugged at them, “Then why shouldn’t I wear it? I’m no one past a contracted guide for Thorin.”

Thranduil raised a brow, “Through your actions Thorin has granted you the title of Lady.”

With a giggle you replied, “Why would he go and do that? What a pitiful noble I’ll make.”

Legolas, “Not true. Eccentric, but then again we’re a bit odd all of us.”

Thranduil, “Besides, you’re from the Years of the Lamps by your markings under moonlight, reason enough for a title. One I am backing against any opposition.” After another inhale he stated, “I would like to see your contract, if you have a copy, if not I can always request one from Thorin.”

“It’s in my bag. Anyways. My question.”

“Yes, the Company is attending.”

“No, not that one, my other question.” His brow rose, “Well I heard the kitchens are done being used for the cooking and baking and whatnot, so I was wondering if I might possibly be able to use some of your left over supplies to bake something, for Bilbo, it’s his Birthday tomorrow. If you don’t mind of course, if not I can, draw him something I guess, I still have a few sheets in my sketch journal I think.”

Legolas smirked at you, “You bake?”

You nodded, “Not professionally, but I dabble a bit.”

Your eyes shifted to Thranduil as he stated, “If that’s what you wish to do, then feel free to use any supplies you wish, if any stand in your way tell them to come speak to me.”

His brow ticked up at your soft squeak before you had stolen a tight hug, looping your arms around his neck planting your lips on his cheek then darting away just as fast, running across the bed and towards the door as you said, “Thank you! And I’ll do the same for yours if you like too!”

Unable to accept your offer he looked towards the doorway still feeling the warmth of your body pressing against him and his cheek where your lips had planted so firmly and briefly. A chuckle form the Prince broke his swirling thoughts before he said, “I’m surprised we haven’t seen a bell in her hair yet.”

“I…”

Another chuckle sounded, “That’s two kisses to your cheek now Ada.”

“Why would you assume-.”

Legolas chuckled again, rolling his eyes, “Of course Ada. I am imagining things. That’s why her squeaking hug drew a flash of a smile from you.” Inhaling again he eyed his Son then broke and chuckled at the lunging hug Legolas had claimed from him, pecking him on the cheek opposite from where your lips had landed. His chuckle drawing one from the King as he pulled back rising to his feet, casually walking to the door saying, “I’ll ensure no one interrupts Naneth and her baking.” His wink earning an eye roll from Thranduil who settled back to his thought only to rise himself at the notion of witnessing your skills for himself.

…

Fully dressed after being detained for a few last minute details he edged his way through the crowded kitchen spotting you over the heads of the servant gathered in the doorways and cutouts in the walls of the massive room. His eyes scanned over the long counter you had selected before looking over your rolled up sleeves and braid pulled back in a bun, a strange bag twisted in your hand easing a stunningly green coating over the small dome shaped cake on top of a larger rectangular one. With parted lips he watched the seemingly grass coated mound forming as you traced a door on the front of it while his eyes settled on your near enamored gaze through your task. A soft giggle left you at its completion before you moved to the stove shifting a covered pan you let air out before moving to a row of small cakes resting on a rack to cool. All eyes watched as you stirred and drizzled the mixture over the cakes leaving them with a shining coat before you moved to soak that pan after claiming a swipe of the remnants with your pinky finger releasing a pleased hum.

Nipping at your lip you moved to grab the mixing bowl beside the set aside ingredients and fresh whisk, within minutes you had filled another piping bag drawing the King closer to you through the crowds. When you shifted the cakes from the racks at their coating drying after collecting another piping bag you had set aside he dipped a finger into the cake pan under the rack tasting the coating, a dark chocolate with a hint of cherries. Raising his eyes he glanced at you again as you softly stated, “You’ll have to tie your hair back.” To which he complied as it allowed him to move to your side with Legolas, bearing an identical bun, claiming your other side looking over the sketch of Bree. Then the next ones with the three trolls, Thorin with his sword, Rivendell, Goblin tunnels, the Thunder Battle, Beorn’s, a Spider then the Palace with a white stag followed by Laketown, Dale and Erebor with another resembling the map and key all in white chocolate drizzle. Carefully after you grabbed the other bag adding a decorative border in S’s all around the tops in the same green left over from before, when complete you shifted those into a swirling line on the top of the large rectangular cake forming a pathway atop the tray.

When complete a group of kitchen servants helped transfer the tray to a rolling cart to be moved out of the way into the chilling pantry assuring its safety until the unveiling. Turning your head you eyed the King and Prince sampling more of your toppings and the few scrapings you had set aside widening your smile as you helped collect your used supplies the servants insisted on scrubbing in your place after requesting lessons on your few baking tricks you had learned. With an agreeing nod you joined the pleased King and Prince on their path to the King’s study at his request as he stated, “I looked over the copy of your contract you have.”

“I told you, it only lasted through reclaiming the mountain and my claiming my portion of the treasure.”

He glanced at you, “And yet you still are expected to move into the mountain by the Company.”

You smirked up at him, “Is it so unbelievable that we might actually have grown to be like a family?”

Meeting your gaze he asked, “You wouldn’t wish to be among Elves over mortals?”

With a giggle you replied, “Aside from you two and Tauriel the rest of your kin are strangers to me here, all polite, but so different from me.”

Legolas, “You are older than nearly all of the Elves here I believe.”

“Again with the old thing.” Thranduil glanced at you, “I might not remember my childhood but I can’t be more than thirty at the most. Back there I was just a receptionist in a dojo. Nothing special.”

Thranduil, “Receptionist?”

Legolas, “Dojo?”

You nodded and exhaled before explaining the pair of terms, to which Thranduil replied, “Leader of a fighting school. Far from low status.”

“No,” you settled into the seat he offered as Legolas passed you the tea he’d offered. “Women aren’t allowed to run Dojo’s where I’m from. I merely answer calls and fill out paperwork for members and supplies needed and accept packages between cleaning the bathrooms and fetching lunch for the instructors.”

Thranduil nodded, “Only a leader would go to all that trouble. Sounds like you were behind every decision happening there.”

“All of that I did for minimum wage and a tiny cramped room in the back. I imagine a great number of your servants here live better than I did.”

His lips parted, “Either way, you’ve got a title now, and will be living far differently.”

Rolling your eyes you finished your tea, “As if a title actually means something to me after where I’m from.” He watched you lower the cup in your hands to the table before you as you asked, “So is there set of rules I’m supposed to follow around you two? Back home they all seemed a bit frivolous to me concerning our Royals.”

“Such as?” He raised his cup taking a sip.

“For one you aren’t allowed to speak unless spoken to by the King first.” He nodded, “When meeting the King you have to wait to be announced, usually he’s waiting at the end of a carpet when you’re presented. You bow before you reach the carpet then reach it waiting until spoken to, when he’s done with you, you bow, walk backwards three steps bowing again before you can turn away from him.”

Legolas, “Bit unusual but not far from ours, what rules are pertaining greeting the Queen?”

“Um, that depends on if she inherited the crown or if she married the King.”

Thranduil lowered his cup to the table asking, “The difference?”

“Well, in most of the world back there women are still seen as mainly property.” Their jaws clenched at the notion of what that could entail for you, “I lived in one of the most lenient countries for laws concerning women. We can mostly do as we please, even allowed to vote and earn our own wages, but as always men are at the top of the food chain and most never let us forget it.” Ignoring their ragged inhales you continued, “As for marrying Kings the Queen stays in her assigned rooms under guard and with approved ladies maids to keep her company and assure her needs are seen to.”

Legolas, “The King doesn’t handle that?”

You met his gaze, “The King mainly shares a meal, possibly two with her between his duties and if he wishes to he visits her room at night for heirs or company if he’s not wishing to be with one of his mistresses.”

Thranduil nearly glared at you through asking, “Mistresses?!”

You nodded meeting his gaze, “Women are easy to come by for Kings, I’m sure you’ve both had your fair share of offers.”

Thranduil exhaled shakily, “We most certainly have not. For Elves and Dwarves alike we choose one to marry and remain faithful to them. There is no temptation when we’ve bonded, even for Men here they rarely take lovers without remaining loyal to them. Why would you assume we’ve had offers of any sort?”

“You’re a King. Power attracts others like moths to a flame, women use what they have to offer to gain standing for themselves and their families. When you’re in the King’s favor you live well. Something you don’t have to go into detail about, Thorin and the others seemed to get into a heated state for nearly a month when I first brought it up.”

Thranduil, “I take it that’s why they were so upset to part with you.”

“It seems in all my naïve ways they were trying to assure my safety or maintaining my standing among them or at least being there to cushion the blow at my unintentional insults to others.”

Legolas smiled at you, “Well you’ve not insulted anyone here.”

Thranduil, “Have you had an audience with many Kings in your world?”

You shook your head, “No, my country elected its leaders, no Kings and they’re only in power for eight years at the most.”

Legolas, “Ah so you’ve studied other countries’ traditions on Royals then.” You nodded, “So, the Queens marrying into royalty, what tasks do they hold?”

“Smiling, waving, greeting children, visiting schools where they give lectures about eating healthy. Spending time at charities, dressing up for events, mainly just a figure head beside the King to look presentable at his side and provide heirs.” Leaning forward Thranduil propped his chin in his palm with arms resting on the table between you trying not to shout at the terrible treatment a woman of such rank would face.

Thranduil, “The King, he would at least see to her proper respect?”

“Depends on the King. Mostly in the older times and stricter countries they live separately, with the Queen being completely ready to cater to the King’s every desire.”

Thranduil, “Is that how you believe Kings here to be?”

“I’ve only met you, Dain and Thorin, so far you’ve seemed the polar opposite, though I trust I’ve pressed your boundaries more than once at least.”

Thranduil, “Your befriending Thorin I understand, you fetch a tidy sum-.”

With a scoff you replied, “I would have done it for free, he insisted on payment.” He raised a brow, “I know you wouldn’t understand, but I’d do the same for you if need be. You may not trust me but I simply wanted to know the great Kings and rulers in the world I’d read so much about. Worth more than any amount of gold or jewels in these lands.” His brow rose again as he locked his gaze on yours seeing clearly the truth behind your words.

Wetting his lips he glanced at the contract before him remembering an older question he’d wanted an answer to, lowering his arms he asked, “Your contract, you signed it with an E before your name?”

You nodded, “Ya, Jaqiearae is my middle name, my first name tends to bring me a lot of ridicule.”

His brow rose, “I doubt it could.”

Legolas, “What is it?”

With a sigh you replied, “Do they have nymphs here?” They both nodded, “Well in my old world there’s a fable of Echo and Narcissus.”

With widening eyes and parting lips Thranduil repeated, “You said Echo?” You nodded.

Legolas nudged the King’s elbow with his, “What is the fable?” Looking up you smiled at Tauriel as she brought in a message from Lothlorien the King set aside allowing her to remain for your tale.

“Firstly, there’s a prophet Tiresias, who a woman, Liriope consults about her Son, Narcissus, asking if he’ll live to an old age. He replies ‘only if he never knows himself.’

When Narcissus is 16 he’s spotted by a Mountain Nymph, Echo, a breath taking female whose only downfall is she talks too much. When the King of the Gods Zeus is out looking for a Nymph to romance his Wife Hera goes after him.” Through this you could see Thranduil’s hand clenching into a fist. “After she gets detained by Echo’s banter Zeus escapes and Hera punishes Echo by cursing her, taking her voice, to only repeat what she hears. And after this when Echo sees Narcissus she falls helplessly for him unable to say a word, simply following him around the forest waiting for him to speak.

One day he lost track of his hunting buddies and calls out hoping they will hear him, Echo gets incredibly excited and claims the chance to repeat his words back to him. Starting a strange conversation ending with Narcissus’ offer to ‘get together’, to which Echo repeats it and leaps out of a bush ready to sleep with him, but he is freaked out and yells at her ‘I would die before I let you have me.’

Echo runs away crying and hides in a cave, feeling ashamed and unwanted she remains hidden continuing to pine over him no matter how long she waits her love doesn’t fade. Until over time her body fades away to dust leaving only her voice that wanders around the world repeating what it hears.” At this Tauriel sat down mournfully with lips parted at your namesake’s suffering.

“Narcissus through all this has many other admirers whom all he turns down, still hunting when he can, when his pride against taking a lover finally does him in. One of the admirers pleas to the gods for justice and Nemesis the goddess of vengeance answers. Narcissus grew thirsty from hunting he stumbles upon a clearing with a crystal clear pool untouched for years by any creature, tall grass and plenty of trees for shade, obviously a trap, but he kneels by the water for a drink spots a young man looking back at him and falls helplessly in love with his reflection.

First he doesn’t realize it’s his reflection, tries to reach out and kiss the image, dipping his arms into the water trying to hold onto his new love, nothing works obviously. Confused he tries to convince it to love him in return, bragging about the nymphs and young girls have fallen for him. Over time he keeps trying, believing at first the figure speaks when he does saying nothing simply because he cares in return, but through his obsession he remains, slowly starving. Eventually he finds out it’s his reflection, there’s two versions, one where he starves and another where he stabs himself. But in the end of both he cries out, ‘Alas’ which Echo repeats before he continues, ‘Farewell, dear boy. Beloved in vain.’ Echo repeats his words as he lays down and dies.

Young girls and nymphs all over the world mourn him, building a pyre so they can burn his body, but when they go to look for it all they find is a flower, the Narcissus flower, or the Daffodil. And that’s it, quite a choice to name a child after.”

Tauriel said in a breathy downcast tone, “That’s such a sad tale.”

Legolas, “There’s nothing more of Echo past that?” You shook your head.

Thranduil, “In this world, there is another Echo. Sister of Lord Ecthellion Lord of the Fountains.”

You giggled softly, “Thank you for the compliment, but I doubt she’d be pleased being mistaken for anyone like me.”

Thranduil, “You would be exactly the sort any Elf Lord of his standing would love to claim as a Sister if possible.”

Legolas met his gaze, “We should write to Lord Glorfindel then, he would know for certain if it was you.”

You met his gaze with a curious expression, “Because they were such great friends?”

Thranduil, “It’s told Glorfidel assisted Ecthelion in raising his younger Sister, both claiming you as theirs to protect.”

“What happened to her? I don’t remember reading anything of any Echo in Tolkien’s tales.”

Thranduil, “When your Brother stood against the Balrog it was because it had you gripped tightly in its hand. He fought to free you.”

“So, she died?”

Legolas shook his head, “At the last blow you were knocked free, but a dragon grabbed you and took off. Glorfindel searched for ages. All the dragons found were questioned with only news that you had managed to wander away when your captor was sleeping. No trace of you was found.”

“Ah, the infamous vanishing of Elleths act, quite common in Tolkien’s tales, men’s deaths and exile get detailed greatly but the women…”

Thranduil, “I am certain this Tolkien had merely missed the chance to fill out your tale correctly.” Causing you to raise a brow, “Either way, Lady Echo.”

“Jaqi.”

Narrowing his eyes playfully he repeated, “Lady Echo, we should see to your gown.” He rose to his feet and walked around the table offering you his hand, with a sigh you accepted the help up and followed him and the Prince to your room with Tauriel grabbing the message and tagging along. Rolling your eyes you crossed your arms as they looked over the racks of gowns with a few being held up to you and your body before being hung up again.

…

Coated in a silver shimmering layered gown the King had settled on matching his and the Prince’s choices for the evening you eyed the tall mirror along your wall turning your head at the gem coated circlet with several looped chains dangling from it bearing jeweled beads resting over your freely hanging lower half of your black curls. Your only thought being that you would most likely spend hours trying to untangle it before you could finally go to bed, deciding you’d leave unlacing this flowing gown till the morning and just collapse on the bed when your hair was free. But tilting your head and hands towards the mirror you eyed the glowing lines growing across your skin in the rising moonlight curious how back home they’d never appeared.

A knock at your door signaled Tauriel to enter in a deep green gown of her own eyeing you with a pleased grin, bowing her head to you and turned at your reaching her to lead you to the outdoor ballroom. On the way a pair of flowing robes joined your sides, the Prince and King both offered you their elbows to escort you to your seat then turned to welcome the Dwarves and Bilbo all arriving for the celebration, eagerly scanning the decorations and Elven crowd before reaching you for pleased scans over your appearance between tight chuckle filled hugs. Claiming your seat again you eyed the crowds through Thranduil’s annual speech before the music began with your timidly joining the King out for the first dance. At his facing you his eyes narrowed playfully at your weak glare as you mumbled, “You owe me for this.”

He chuckled lowly accepting your hands for the traditional hold in one of the few dances the pair had taught you since your imprisonment in the Elven Kingdom. But somehow you managed it between being passed between the pair while the King claimed his usual assigned dances with other Ladies of his court leaving you giggling in the Prince’s hushed reminders of the steps between your fumbled attempts at newer dances. Though soon enough you’d been claimed by each of the Dwarves and even Bilbo for a dance each before the food was set out. With the arrivals of the desserts you eyed the treats you’d taught the cooks how to create in small cakes for each Elf and Dwarf there as you slipped out to check on your surprise.

An eager squeak left you as you approached Bilbo while two Elves claimed the task of rolling out the cart coated with your gift, his grin inched wider nervously at your approach having already had small gifts sprung on him by the Company through the day. Wetting his lips he answered as you said, “Bilbo, I know Hobbits usually give gifts on their birthdays but I just couldn’t let yours pass without a gift of my own.”

His smile grew at your biting your lip again as he rose and felt his mouth drop open at the intricate replica of his home and your path along the way. Covering his mouth he looked up at you as you said, “I thought you might want a piece of home.”

Tears filled his eyes as he walked around the table crashing into you in a tight hug drawing a pleased giggle from you as he mumbled against your shoulder, “Thank you! I love it!”

When he pulled back he turned eyeing it closely as you pointed out each cake and its flavors before he took a slice of the mound for himself, smiling at the differing flavors marking the floor plan you had hidden inside and passed out each of the smaller cakes to the Company behind him before the large rectangular base was sliced up and divided between the rest of you in the King’s tables. After the cakes were finished dancing was started again finding you back in the grip of the Elf King who couldn’t help but smile as the wine sank in clouding his presumed frightened or angered reaction to your offer to aid in the reclamation of Moria at Dain’s suggested quest.

With another twirl you settled back in the Elf King’s hold as he tried to hold his same velvety commanding tone, “You are not going-.”

Your creeping smile broke his words as his eyes locked on yours getting lost in the shimmering purple pools surrounding the glowing silver flecks inside them, “You’re forgetting my prior successful escapes there Dew Drop.”

An awkward chuckle left him at your nickname through his partial smirk, “You are not going without me.”

Playfully you quipped back, “Oh really? And why is that?”

Firmly his hand gripped yours leading you through the drunken crowds ignorant to your parting, wetting your lips you followed him through an unknown area of the palace you’d yet to be led through to a dusty abandoned ballroom with a mural of a glowing city stirring a prickling in the back of your mind close to a stirring memory. Your mind silenced at the King closing the door behind you and his turn to face you stating, “You are not leaving without me.  _You are mine, where you go I go.”_

Your brow rose through your giggle, “Really, I belong to you now? Not close to what you were trying to say earlier.”

With a huff he replied, “That’s not-“ With a groan he continued, “You are so willing to abandon your kin to be with the Company!”

Tilting your head slightly you fired back raising your voice as you carried on, “And just who said I was abandoning anything? I can’t choose with whom I live? Just what would you have me do, since my very decision seems to trouble you endlessly?!”

In a clear shout back at you he replied,  _“Be with me!”_  Your lips parted as he closed his eyes inhaling deeply to calm himself down after spotting your flinch at his raised tone. Opening his eyes again he exhaled slowly extending his hands at his side marking his peaceful intentions with you as he watched the hint of fear in your eyes dim, and yet doing nothing for the stab in his chest at having inflicted such a worry in you for your safety. “I will go with you, to Moria, but then we are coming back here.” He exhaled again taking a step closer to you spotting your fingers curl around the ends of your sleeves halting his path to you. “You are infinitely far from a possession or prisoner. I want nothing more than your safety and happiness. By your own words you have no memories of growing, for all you know you could have wandered your way into that cruel world and lost your memories. You deserve more than to see the mortals around you fade while you fill some aimless role in their kingdom.”

“So I’m no prisoner or possession, and yet you still order me about?” His lips parted but closed again at your hint of a smirk and playful gaze, “And just what role would I be filling here, it seems all of yours are filled already. Besides, what if this Lord Glorfindel discovers I’m not the Lady you assume I am?” His brow quirked up at your soft, “Hmm?”

“That matters little. You have a title now, just as you did then. I know you must be her. Even if you weren’t it matters little.” Looking him over and his backtracking circle he made both verbally and physically as his mind raced as what to say next, his eyes landed on you again stirring a hint of a smile he fought against showing, “Don’t you smile.”

Beaming widely at him you caught his brow twitching as the corners of his lips quirked up, “Why not? Your Majesty?” Your step closer to him caused another inhale from him before he swallowed dryly. “Why shouldn’t I smile?”

His eyes scanned lower to his chest following your finger’s path to straighten the jeweled pin securing the front flap of his long robe just under his neck, before he could stop himself he said,  _“I’m vulnerable around you,”_  His eyes rose to meet yours stirring another twitch of his brow before his eyes sank deeper into an adoring gaze at your eyes,  _“and it only gets worse when you smile.”_

You nodded, smiling wider as you turned, “Alright, I’ll head to bed then, since my smile bothers you so.” 

His eyes flinched wider and he followed you back the way you came before his hushed directions to a back path to the Royal Wing where he stated again, “You are not going alone to Moria.”

Turning in the doorway he opened for you, you stated, “So adamant. Can’t imagine you being so protective to all your guests.”

“You’re not a guest.”

“Right, I’m a bartering chip, to hold until your first trade meeting when the mountain is suitable once again.”

With a scoff he followed you inside towards your vanity, losing the door behind him, his eyes scanning over your hands rising to try and loosen the chains resting in your curls he aided you with. “I intend to hold you much longer than that.” His soft tone rising as he spotted your smirk in the mirror realizing he’d said that aloud, in a firmer tone he added, “You are no bartering chip.” His hands held the chains up carefully unaware of your growing smile at his furrowed brows at the troublesome task of removing your circlet carefully.

“Doubtful I’m very useful past that.”

“You have many talents.”

“Apparently turning a King into my personal guard is one of them.”

“If that’s what you wish for me to be…” His tone dropped to a slightly saddened one as he set your circlet back in its case then turned to face you at your soft giggle.

His hopeful smile grew at your smirk at him, “What would I expect from a King? You’re the one insisting on guarding me.”

Following you towards your closet he watched as you removed your gifted flats and set them back in their home. “You’re the one insisting on chasing after such creatures, Dragons, Balrogs.”

With another giggle from you he caught your eye as he blocked the doorway, “What could a Balrog be compared to a Dragon? I bring down behemoths, what else would you have me do?”

Wetting your lips you leaned against the side of a row of cubbies near the doorway causing his eyes to scan over you and your curtain of hair once again. “I would have you safe in my lands where none of them can touch you.” Scanning over your hair again he added in a sentimental tone, “I would have you wearing a bell from me.”

Your brow raised, “A bell. And just what would that name me as to you?”

“It would mark our courtship.”

“Courtship? I have nothing to offer a King.”

“You have everything to offer. Even if you refuse I will remain your faithful guard, no matter where you choose to go.”

“You have a kingdom to run.”

“I have a Son, old enough to take my place.”

Your lips parted, and your eyes scanned over his face, “You’ve obviously had too much to drink.”

Brushing past him you entered your room he followed after you, “I am not drunk!” Wetting your lips you turned to face him at his fingers grazing along your elbow in a timid attempt to get you to face him again without frightening you again, “I have never once imagined ever finding my One, and I would freely hand over my Kingdom and crown, should you choose a home somewhere past my borders.” His hands gripped his crown he’d slid off and folded gently in one of your hands. “As long as I get to remain with you, at your side.”

“If you think for one moment,” his gaze grew far sterner through his heart sinking at what he imagined to be your refusal, “That I would ever force or even allow you to change anything about yourself to be with me you have no idea who I am at all.”

“No matter what or where you choose, I’ll be there.” Your eyes sank to his crown in your hand and he stole the moment to close the distance pressing a kiss to your cheek. Raising your eyes again as he said,  _“I’m surrendering myself to you, body and soul.”_

“Dew Drop.”

His lips parted at your exhale through your raising the crown to ease onto his head again sending another flicker of pain through his eyes, as he tearfully asked, _“What more do you want?”_

Your fingers eased through his hair draping across his chest, “I would have you be the King you are.” Lowering your gaze you moved your fingers to stroke along his cheek, “No matter what you would sacrifice for me, don’t you dare change yourself for me. What I would want, is you, no changes, no exile. I could care less about the crown and all it brings with it. I can’t promise much past myself, I would expect nothing more than that from you in return. Do you understand?”

A hopeful flicker ran through his eyes as his hand shifted to cautiously graze his fingers against yours, “This is your acceptance then?”

“Don’t you dare forget who you are, can you promise me that?”

His free hand rose to stroke along your cheek, “Anything you wish, it’s yours, my Dearest One.” With a growing smile he stepped back, “I’ll fetch my bell.” However his body paused and turned back to you at your fingers gripping his tighter.

“I will have more terms to add later.”

A smirk eased onto his lips as he stepped closer to you cupping your cheek, “Courtship is all about negotiating terms, my Dearest.” He snuck another peck on your cheek then pulled away, “I’ll fetch my bell.” Swiftly leaving your room as you raised your hands to start pulling the tightly gripping pins trapped in your braided back top half of your hair, and left them in the jewelry case Thranduil had gifted you as well. By the last pin another set of hands were added to yours aiding in removing the last and the braids after it, gently he guided you onto the stool at your vanity while another set of braids were added to your hair. A single soft ring signaled the end of his intimate gesture, ringing through his leading you back for more desserts and dancing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 348 “Are you SURE I can’t punch him in the face?” “Yes.” “What if I break his nose a little?”  
> 3 “Right now, I don’t know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge” “Can I pick?”  
> 4 “You know what they say, panicking burns a shit-ton of calories.” “Who even says that?” “Me. Just now.”  
> 28 “Sometimes, memories are the worst torture.”  
> 214 “Please, just… touch me.”

**“Please, just…touch me.”**  Turning your head you locked eyes with your adopted Cousin Are, or Princess as everyone called her, on your right with a cutout of none other than Lee Pace’s face with her making kissing noises behind it. Rolling your eyes you gave her a nudge through the door of your closet and slammed the door in her face. “Oh come on! You can’t deny my love!!”

“Just go away Are!”

The door opened again as she watched you pack up the last of your things and carried them to the bed of your beat down old truck with her right behind you scoffing, “I can’t see why you’re leaving the manor to go live in the back of some, some, dojo!” With a huff you closed the bed of your truck and met her eyes as she brushed the stray string of curls resting across your face from when your head turned. “Who’s gonna make sure you wear the right colors each day, and more importantly, who’s gonna be my bestie for all my shopping trips?”

“If me moving somehow stops me from being allowed to spend time with you then I never really was your ‘bestie’ at all.”

“Echo!”

Your brows furrowed as you turned and climbed into your truck, “You know, for years I’ve lived here and all I get is ‘Echo this and Echo that’, my name is Jaqi! If you gave a shit about anyone but yourself you’d have the common sense to even realize I’m moving to get away from you and your bullshit entitled attitude. Your Majesty!” Slamming the door you caught her jaw dropping as you started the truck and drove off to your new apartment, if you could call it that at all, mainly your new hope at freedom.

..

Months you’d had silence from her with the same curious thoughts running through your mind about how you had even found your way into their care. Your Cousin Are and the same faceless Parents you both neither could find any physical proof of at all past names on paper etched onto the deed for the manor you both shared. And somehow your shared lack of anything close to a childhood seemed to only trouble you, while her and her Brothers went on about their lives not caring at all for the loss of time. Names and dates etched into your minds were all you had, transferring them like clockwork whenever needed for forms or interviews between random inquiries from others.

A smile inched onto your face adjusting the duffel bag on your shoulder over your tank top and torn jeans, through the lot your feet carried you to your same beat up rusted near orange old farm truck where your expression dropped flatly as you asked the body seated inside, “What the fuck are you doing in my truck?!”

Smiling widely at you Are turned to face you saying, “Heard you were taking a trip.”

Rolling your eyes you mumbled, “Thanks Fin…” Opening the door you tossed the bag into the small back seat and climbed inside, “It’s just a drive to pick up some supplies from a couple states over.”

She nodded, “Ya, in LA.” With a sigh you started the truck and pulled out, starting the long drive. “I packed everything, swimsuits, dresses, oh I can’t wait to see it all.”

Not long after, you were both listening in to the radio as she sat watching the towns go by between her usual complaints about your truck not being the elegant town car she usually had to drive her around all day. After a few hours the rain clouds blew in and the first clap of thunder clapped startling Are awake drawing a smirk to your face at her panicked breathing and scanning around, “Just a storm Are.”

With a scoff she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, “I know!” Then flinched at the next clap.

**“You know what they say, panicking burns a shit-ton of calories.”**

In a glare she fired back,  **“Who even says that?”**

With a smirk you caught her eyes,  **“Me. Just now.”**

Rolling her eyes she turned her face towards the window again looking out over the storm, “It’s not funny!”

“Oh really, you mean like the time you left me on the middle of a lake floating on an air mattress in the center of a fireworks display?”

“That was funny! Your scream was priceless!”

“Ya, my screams, from the second degree burns across my back and legs, not even mentioning my hair being singed to my scalp. Hilarious! And the hospital stay, and the bills that I just barely got paid off.”

“Oh it wasn’t that bad.”

Your eyes locked with hers, “Go stand in the center of a hurricane and I’ll let it go, until then, don’t tell me burns over two thirds of my body is hilarious. That my screams of agony amused you so greatly.”

Rolling her eyes she turned her head to watch the next flash go off causing her to scream at the ghostly face she saw through the sheets of rain. “We need to get out of this storm!”

“I am not stopping but I’ll leave you anywhere you like along the way.”

“I’m going to LA!”

“Then buckle up and wave to the Ring Wraith!”

She rolled her eyes, “This is not Middle Earth!”

With a giggle you replied, “You better be thankful for that or you’d be wandering into the unknown right now.”

“I would not be that stupid!”

Inside your mind you mumbled, “You’d be surprised at just how stupid you can be.”

..

Parked alongside a small lot with a café overlooking the ocean you sat on the edge of the bed of your truck sipping on the fruity blended drink as you watched the ocean ignoring Are on your right, flirting with a table filled with familiar faces from the new Avengers flick. The table of men all formerly waiting in line just as you had pulled up, each of them in ball caps trying to be invisible from the world then buckling at the sight of your Cousin prancing up to them with magazine in hand for their signatures. Somehow in her near sheer peach short dress over her two piece and sandals as her ponytail swung over her back, across the room from the table she’d asked you to save for you, you heard her saying, “Could you sign it to Jaqi?”

In what you hoped to be a glimmer of something kind for you the smile from Chris Evans grew asking, “Ck?”

She shook her head, “J-a-q-i.”

On her right Sebastian’s smile grew as he said, “Don’t hear that one often.”

Tom, “Near the French spelling.”

Hemsworth asked, “Are you French?”

She shook her head, “Family name.”

With a sigh you stood catching the eyes of the guys watching your walk towards the man behind the counter calling out, “Jaqi, Echo.” The two teens by the counter chuckling and repeating in slowly dying voices, “Echo-Echo-Echo” last two repetitions fading softer as they scanned over you eyeing the blue sundress you were in as your curls rested over your back in a slow sway when you grabbed the drinks.

You softly smiled at the worker then turned back to your table only to freeze at the taller of the two resting his hand on your shoulder saying, “Aw now sweetheart, no running off to your island now. I’ll be your Achilles.” On his left his friend added on with a wink, “Ya, we’ll give you lots to shout back at us.”

In a near deadpan the pair stepped back from you at your unamused glare melting into a forced smile as you replied, “Achilles is in a different myth, nowhere close to Echo’s tale. Go read a book little boy.” As you stepped away you blindly set Are’s drink in front of her bearing your name on the side as you walked through the propped open door towards your truck. In a single motion you hopped up, resting our boot on the back tire, turned and sat on the edge of the bed of your truck curling one leg before you with the other propped up through your sip. Harshly you forced yourself to swallow the tart mixture you eyed carefully trying to place the fruits she had chosen for you in this orange mixture.

Sighing softly you relaxed back against the truck frame behind you stealing a glimpse at the time on your watch then looked out at the ocean trying to figure out just how long she was going to be. As the minutes ticked by she’d gotten herself invited along to the beach house they were staying in for a small get together they were having. Turning your head you locked eyes with Are as she called out, “Echo, come on, party!” After glance at your watch you tapped it with your finger and she huffed loudly rolling her eyes, “The tapes can wait! Don’t be such a stick in the mud!”

Rolling your eyes you called back, “Later, I have work, Are.” Tossing your empty cup in the trash can by your truck before you turned and hopped down, stepping to the door, opened it and climbed inside then started up the truck and turned your head to see Tom waving at you with a timid smile. Sliding over you rolled down the window using the crank as his eyes locked on yours with a stunned expression melting into an anxious chuckle then said, “You’re leaving already?”

“I have to pick up some tapes for work. Why I’m in LA.”

“Want some company?”

“You sure you’re supposed to be taking of with a stranger like this?” He chuckled again, “Don’t get me wrong, you could probably no doubt take me down if needed. I meant, aren’t you supposed to be guarded or something?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Just um, fetching some tapes, right?” You nodded, “Besides, how else could I possibly convince you to come tonight?”

Through his pleading gaze, sliding over after rolling up the window he bit his lip as he climbed inside waving the guys off. You both buckled up and you pulled out of the lot catching a glimpse of Are in your mirror climbing into one of their cars as Tom asked, “So, that happen often?”

You glanced over with a curious smirk, “Celebrities climbing into my truck or the teens hitting on me using my name?”

“The latter.”

“It’s not always teens, but my name normally does get brought up.”

“Must be irritating after a while.”

You nodded feeling his eyes on you, “All in a day being named after a nymph with such a sad story.”

“You still like your name though?”

“I normally go by my middle name.”

As he turned to you again he asked with a playful grin, “And that would be?”

“Jaqiearae.” His brow rose and you looked at the street again, “Jaqi or Jaq-Jaq depending on who I talk to.”

His lips parted, “Oh, so you and, the other-,”

“My adopted Cousin Aredhel, her middle name’s Isfin, not as fun for her to say as my name, we call her Are though.”

Under furrowed brows he asked, “So she just, uses your name in public then?”

“Princess does as she pleases.” His brow rose again, “That’s how she got here, jumped in my truck before I got into it, invited herself along.”

“How long are you in town?”

“Just tonight, have to drive back in the morning. You?”

“Same.”

The corner of your mouth ticked up and you eyed the car pulling up beside you with a shrieking woman inside pointing at your truck and snapping pictures of Tom beside you. In the short drive he’d broke into a conversation on both of your interests until he eyed the large convention center you had parked at and bit his lip climbing out then followed you inside curiously eyeing the path you led him through. This same path he’d followed for comic convention appearances before causing him to ask, “What sort of tapes are you picking up?”

You met his gaze with a soft chuckle then replied, “There was a karate tournament a week back, got asked to grab the tapes from it so the guys can study it for the next one coming up.” You caught his gaze again and chuckled softly, “I work in a dojo and get all the fun errands.”

“Trip to LA sounds fun.”

“Never been a big fan of the ocean.”

“Can’t swim?”

“I can, just, I don’t know, prefer trees and mountains. More at home there.”

On your left a deep voice called out, “Ah, Jaq-Jaq! Knew you’d be on the way soon.” His green eyes scanned over you happily before greeting Tom and shaking his hand, “Glad you didn’t bring Miss Princess along this time.” His head nodded and he led you into the office behind him, collecting a bag of tapes and then guided you back out again where you locked the tapes in the built in chest under the cushioned seat in the back beside your bag.

Meeting his gaze you chuckled and said, “Are tends to bring dates back to our room. Usually sleep in my truck.” A soft ding brought your eyes down to your boot, where you pulled your phone from the tall socks you had on reading the message from a friend in town asking for a favor.

“Ah.”

.

Back in the truck again you drove to a small Italian diner after his stomach growled loudly causing you to giggle softly, “I know just the place.” Widening his smile.

Looking around the parking lot he watched the cars filled with camera men all exiting and racing across the parking lot, watching your rhythmic knock on the door before another smiling face answered and let you in before locking up behind you again gaining disbelieving shouts and grumbles outside. The tall blonde passed Tom a menu as he followed you both into the empty kitchen where you started to scrub your hands after tying up your hair as the blonde said, “Thank you so much for this! Same as usual?”

You nodded, “Always.”

Tom eyed you curiously as you moved to the counter already covered with ingredients you moved towards and started mixing up while he picked a dinner close to yours and sat on a nearby stool joining you in your conversation. The longer he watched his smile grew at the various desserts you were putting together as the blonde finished your orders, sharing your usual habit of helping him out with the desserts for his place when his usual baker was out of town widening Tom’s smile as he snapped a few pictures of your creations.

Through the meal he got a fuller picture of you and your interests, while sharing more of his own, settling into a deeply adoring gaze towards you the longer he looked at you. By sunset driven the distance to their rental home where Are greeted you happily with a drink in hand and passed you a beer of your own bringing a flinching smile onto your face before the guys gathered around you both eyeing Tom’s inching back to your side after claiming a drink of his own. All night you bit back your comments and reactions to Are and her seemingly endless stories and near orders for you to share the more painful or embarrassing situations she placed you in for her enjoyment the group around her obviously picked up on your shielded irritation. In a glance across the room you caught another familiar set of faces strolling over to join your group after Are had stepped away to move her flirtatious game onto another actor, the tipsy and beaming Luke Evans, drawing a snicker from Tom as he leaned in to whisper “She does know he’s-.”

“Gay?” He nodded, “Doesn’t really matter. He’s got abs and that dreamy voice and over six feet, so, ya, and, now she’s on his lap.” His head turned and he chuckled softly before getting called away to another of his friends after promising to come back. In the next few minutes the group had split leaving just Lee Pace, one of the pair that had just joined your group, his date had joined the others to another celebrity that had called them over. Turning your head back to where the group was from your glance at the stars your heart skipped at the smiling giant as his smile dimmed catching your purple and silver flecked eyes before he smiled again to say, “You must be the Echo we’ve heard so much about.”

Your head nodded as his expression froze then shifted to an awkward chuckle at your bright smile through your own soft chuckle, “Apparently my Cousin’s been very busy sharing all my secrets.”

His smile grew as he eyed your untouched drink in your hand, “Don’t like beer?”

“I’m driving.”

In a shift of his eyes he glanced at Are in her tipsy prance over to you as she flopped her arm around the back of your neck holding down your hair painfully as her finger tapped your nose stirring an irritated exhale from you as she slurred,  **“Right now, I don’t know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge”**

 **“Can I pick?”** Your response drawing a chuckle from Lee he claimed a sip from his beer to mask it.

Her smile grew through an excited squeak claiming your drink for a long sip before she added, “Have you heard about our last trip to Nevada?” He shook his head before meeting your gaze again, listening to the story before she swayed farther onto your shoulder saying,  **“Are you SURE I can’t punch him in the face?”**  To which Lee chuckled before you said, “To which her Brother said,  **‘Yes.”**

Are held up her hand holding her index finger and thumb closely together asking,  **“What if I break his nose a little?”**

Lee chuckled again then eyed her head turning toward Chris Evans in his own drunken sway calling out your name, to which she straightened up and went to answer, joining him towards whatever location he led her to on the other end of the house. Meeting Lee’s eyes again he chuckled and asked, “I take it you don’t get along?”

You shrugged, “Everyone loves Are.” His brow rose, “She hates her name, so she steals my nickname when it suits her.” Your eyes shifted to his date eyeing Lee hungrily as he downed his drink then called for another from the bartender at the small bar at the end of the patio before you looked at Lee again, “I think your date wants you.”

He glanced at the dark haired man then looked back at you with a partially panicked expression, “I, he’s um.”

Your smile stopped his words, “I’m a receptionist at a Dojo, that’s my beat up old truck outside, and I still have a flip phone, so no worries about it being front page news.” His tongue flicked out to wet his lips, “I do have to say, he has an amazing ass. Well done.” Making Lee chuckle and glance at his feet before smiling at you again, “Oh if I was here with him I know just where my hand would be whenever possible.” Making his smile grow larger, “And that look of his explains just where he wants his to be.”

In a glance over at his date again gaining a wink from him he looked at you again with another chuckle, “It can wait.” His smile grew as he playfully asked, “You still have a flip phone?”

In a giggle you replied, “I have a flip phone.” Your eyes shifted to his date as he crossed the patio to you both, “And, apparently it can’t.” After a glance at your watch your body turned and you softly added with a wink, “Nice meeting you, enjoy your night.” In a near pleading glance he watched you turn and walk towards the nearby set of stairs towards the beach. Passing a window you could clearly hear your muffled name being called out sending a sting through your chest. Following the path you wandered onto the sand with your eyes raising to the sky watching the streaking stars shooting across the sky stirring a smile onto your face.

A hand on your side tilted your head to Tom and his smile and upward glance as he curled around your back lowly stating, “Sorry, didn’t mean to be away so long. You’re not running away are you?”

You shook your head, leaning back against his chest, “Thought about it, the stars distracted me.”

Peering down at you and your glowing eyes with reflections of the shooting stars streaking across them deepened his smile before he gently kissed your cheek then said, “There’s a set of loungers back that way if you wanted?” With a nod you split up and his hand eased through yours leading you back to the end of the patio giving you a clear view of the stars still as you settled on one of them as Tom straddled the lounger behind you pulling you back against his chest curling his arms around your middle after the men from his group earlier moved to sit around you.

Through their conversation your eyes kept wandering towards the tall brunette pair sharing a hushed conversation while the taller of the two held his eyes on you, taking in every moment he could through the party. This continued until you looked at your watch again and rose to your feet signaling Tom to escort you to your truck. The whole way his hand held yours until you reached the sore thumb in the extravagant line of cars, where his free hand cupped your cheek and he claimed a soft kiss then pulled back and drew out his phone to claim your number, holding his smile and waving you off when you drove away. The silence of the night allowing him on his path back inside to hear clearly just who had distracted your Cousin upstairs causing him to roll his eyes and join his group inside again.

…

Two years had passed and not a single word was heard from the supposed ultimate gentleman that had stolen your day and most of that night from you, but no matter what you really understood, once again true to your name you faded away from his obviously distracted mind. One face out of billions he must encounter through his travels, another nice girl to curl around and warm his arms for a few hours at least before being forgotten again.

In the back of yet another line you stood with Are not far away, casually dressed with your arms crossed once again. The torn jeans, boot wearing sore thumb in the large crowd of fully costumed fans, a round of cheers and shrieks drew your eyes towards the line of Avengers cast members all headed towards their table interview. The back of their line held a familiar Brit with parting lips when his eyes stopped on you in the endless sea of faces, your quick smile then glance towards your Cousin as she showed you something in the poster in her hands nearly broke his heart while Chris Evans eyed Are with a smirk. On his path back to the table he pulled out his phone and found your number, using the few minutes before going on to call you as Chris pulled his out to text Are.

Holding his phone up to his ear he mumbled to himself, “Come on, please answer…”

A buzzing in your boot caused you to lean down and pull up your pant leg to grab your phone and curiously eye the number on the small screen on the razor phone in your palm, nudging your hem down you flicked it open and answered, “Hello?”

Stepping away from the others Tom cheerfully yet softly said, “Hey, it’s Tom.”

Again the same stab went through your chest, “You really didn’t have to call me, I get it.” Another wave of shrieks sounded out signaling your head to turn towards the cast of the Hobbit headed for the room you were lined up for with a familiar brunette smiling at you.

“I, really, wanted to explain…” On his left he shifted his phone away from the woman approaching him to line them up for the walk out.

“You really don’t have to. Enjoy your day, I gotta go.” In a click you shut your phone ending the call as Lee broke from the line to your side, gripping the rope and raising it after nodding his head and mouthing, “Come with me.”

A soft giggle came from you as you followed his order, ducking under the rope and accepting his hand as he led you towards his group again leaving your giggling Cousin to look around for the attendant Chris had sent for her without a single thought about you. Back in his line the guys around him eyed you closely as they grouped around you watching as Lee leaned in with a smirk to softly say beside your ear, “You weren’t joking about the phone.”

You shook your head, “No I wasn’t.” All through their event you sat in the back area watching from a monitor until they joined you again for a short time allowing them to get to know you, including Luke with a relieved smile at Are not being there, until you were allowed to browse through the convention as they sat for their fan signing, after which they had a dinner you were invited to. In the cozy back room of the place they had chosen to eat you sat beside Luke at the end while Lee sat beside his latest fling on the other end of the table once again wising for more time alone with you. 

All ending with another long lonely drive home for you with those same hazel and bright blue eyes burning into your mind as you tried to imagine just where your Cousin had managed to be swept off to this time as you parked at the Dojo once again and eyed Tom’s latest long message popping up onto your phone.

…

In the next few years the panic in Tom died down as he finally felt heard, at the more advantageous relationship was chosen for him by his management team, along with your returning to your same pleasant friendly demeanor around him masking the sting from his unintentional slight. Between your random passing encounters with him you spotted Lee more and more. 

Even to the point where on that same planned encounter in that convention you were kidnapped in, he had ensured he was single and finally able to claim a chance with you. But on his way to meet up with you he spotted Are and his heart sank at her announcing your vanishing, leaving him to skim through your recent messages trying to figure out just how he had managed to scare you off.

…

Under the shifting starlight your mind wandered back to that same memory of you waking wreathed in flames on that inflatable mattress in the lake with flames coating you. A sharp gasp came from you as your body was jerked through the air as the body clutching you gripped you tighter when your memory shifted and a white glowing city grew around you. Stone crumbled and glass shattered before a familiar deep set of voices called out your name through the loud shouts growing around you from the panicked fleeing Elves. 

From under your hair you had shifted you eyed the balrog carrying you in one hand, using the other to fend off Ecthelion’s attacks trying to free you before you were thrown free and snatched up by another large hand carrying you off into the distance. 

One more clear shout of ‘Echo!’ Sounded out distantly before your now panting body sat up and you watched the doors to your room being thrown open with the Elf King racing straight to your side, curling your legs in his lap from where you’d kicked the covers back. Gently he drew you against his bare chest hugging you tightly to his chest until your breathing calmed from his hands stroking your back and gliding through your hair.

In a soft whisper you mumbled after you pulled back, “Just, a bad dream.”

Firmly in a soothing tone he replied, “Mine are usually memories.  **Sometimes, memories are the worst torture**. Is it from your old world?”

“I, had an adopted Cousin, Aredhel,” His brows rose locking his eyes with yours, “I know, same name as the Princess from Gondolin. She um, we didn’t get along well, and, the rest was, there was a man I cared about.” He swallowed dryly then settled closer to you stroking your arms trying to remain supportive, “We spent a day together, and when I was leaving he kissed me, and took my number so he could call me later, but he never did.” Causing Thranduil’s lips to part, “Ran into him years later, he’d been set up with someone more advantageous to his career. And then, it flashed to back there, Aredhel played a trick on me, left me in a lake in the center of a fireworks display when I was sleeping. I woke up on fire.” Tears filled his eyes at the tears streaming down your cheeks, “Then it shifted again, something was holding me, and people were shouting my name.”

“You’re remembering your disappearance from our world?”

“The thing is,” his eyes darted to your lips when you wet them and chuckled weakly, “It wasn’t the balrog or dragon I was afraid of, it was the pain in the voices screaming for me. In the old world, no one missed me I’m sure of it, all far too busy with their own lives. There I had no family, not like you and your Son care about each other. But those screams, I could feel it, they were my family.”

Gently his hand stroked your cheek as he asked, “Did you want to try and sleep some more?”

You nodded, “I probably should.”

His head tilted slightly, “Are you comfortable staying here?” You nodded again, “Did you want me to stay until you fall asleep again?”

“Is,”

“Yes?”

“Is there a rule against, if I asked you to hold me?”

“No, we’re courting. We can stay in my bed, much better view of the stars through my windows if you prefer?”

With a soft smile you shifted your legs off the bed feeling the silk nightgown he had gifted you dropping to your ankles and glowing from the moonlit lines and dots coating your skin from the moonlight, easing your hand into his open palm as he escorted you towards his room. In the hall his hand motioned to his guards that had grouped in the hall at the obvious struggle your sleep had brought on, with confirming nods they turned and went back to their positions. “Was I that loud?”

His head turned to meet your gaze with a soft smile over his pained eyes, “Your breathing, you sounded, like you were drowning, trying to gasp for air. Shaking the headboard with, what I assume to be your kicking.”

“Oh.” Your eye lowered, “I’m sorry-.”

In a pause in his open doorway his free hand raised your chin to meet his gaze again to say, “You owe no one any apology.” Slowly his thumb stroked along your cheek as he leaned in to press his lips to yours, holding the warm loving gesture for a few moments before smiling adoringly at you, “Back to bed Dearest, safe and warm.” 

Turning again his hand held yours for the walk through his rooms towards his bed, leaving the doors open and easing you into the side closest to the window and climbed over you to brush his legs under the covers he had raised to your shoulder. On your sides you guided him to wrap his arms around you, holding you tightly while he shared the names and stories of all the stars visible through his large wall of windows, nuzzling closer to you as he felt you slipping back off to sleep again. 

Closing his own eyes he sighed trying to wonder at just what else your past had held secret from you between his trying to picture just what sort of man would ever allow himself being convinced against claiming you for himself as his fingers ran along the sides of the bell he’d braided into your hair just a few hours prior.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 94 “Well behaved women rarely make history.”   
> 196 “I promise I’ll be tender.”   
> 246 “I need to be closer to you.”   
> 387 “That’s a little melodramatic, don’t you think?”

On the long ride to Moria once again King Thranduil glanced over at you as you chatted with Thorin on the pony beside your tall horse. The remorse in his eyes for losing even a sliver of your good favor still stabbed at him greatly. His eyes lingered on your back as he caught a glimpse of a smile from the Dwarf King through your attempt at a weak chuckle. The pain of not being the one to draw that joyous smile from you forced his eyes forward again as they nearly welled with tears. 

His only relief was the soft ringing coming from your looped braided ponytail with his bell nestled safely in place still. You had promised him you would not run from him after a statement that your prior fight had hurt you deeply and that you would be angry with him for a time. Quietly he sat enduring the painful reaction of what he had brought on, a simple angered utterance had brought you to tears and revealed a great weakness in you he had not seen, one he’d imagined himself to only feel.

In a glance behind your back Thorin eyed the Elf King and his stoic expression and mournful gaze into the distance ahead of you. In Khuzdul he asked you,  **“Did you break the Elf King?”**

You rolled your eyes and met his eyes replying,  ** _“That’s a melodramatic, don’t you think?”_**

He raised a brow at you,  **“He seems to be near tears. What did you do?”**

**“We had an argument. I’m upset with him.”**

Thorin glanced at the Elf King again curiously,  **“You’re shunning him then?”**

**“It’s hard to explain. I’m just going to be, less affectionate, with him.”**

He nodded,  **“Ah. You’re paroling him then.”**

You glanced at him curiously,  **“Paroling, as in what criminals are on after committing a crime to keep track of them?”**

Thorin nodded,  **“Does it not fit the position he is in?”**

 **“Actually it’s pretty close.”**  He chuckled again,  **“He seems that upset?”**

Thorin glanced up at you,  **“If he upset you he should be.”** You chuckled softly,  **“After all you’re the incredible woman who’s going to restore a second Kingdom of ours. He should understand you’re the one to set the path. Even against a King your path is the one he should cater to.”**

**“I’m certain you’ll be leading your Kingdom after Bilbo’s wishes then?”**

He smirked up at you,  **“In certain ways. I do have to say, I’ve never seen him this glum.”**

**“I’ll throw him a bone later.”**

He raised a brow,  **“Bone?”**

You giggled softly,  **“Figure of speech. Means I’ll give him a tug closer to lighten his mood. Maybe a hug if he keeps moping.”**

Thorin,  **“Don’t give too much ground, he is still being punished.”**  You smiled at him again with a nod and his head turned to Bilbo who approached his side asking about the path ahead.

.

Alongside the edge of the river between Lothlorien and all of Greenwood the armies stopped for the night allowing you to dismount and stretch your legs. With a gentle stroke of your hand along your horse’s neck you walked to his head to give him a few brushes along his face while softly thanking him, before letting him join the other steeds. Off in a safe distance you glanced over at the Elf King while he stood beside his Elk pretending not to be mentally figuring out where he should rest for the night. When he finally turned it was due to the shifting glance from the Elk in front of him. Inhaling slowly he straightened up watching as you stroked the giant creature’s face softened at your presence easing the mood of the King even just a little. “Will your camp be next to the Dwarves’?”

“I, had hoped to camp close to where you are camping.”

Your head turned to meet his gaze as the Elk walked away to claim his dinner being set out for him. “You do realize me being angry at you doesn’t free you from being my pillow.”

In a stunned blink at you his lips parted and he stammered out, “I wasn’t, certain.”

With a poke at his chest plate you watched his eyes scan over your face again, “I’m going to help the boys set up the fire for supper. Feel free to join us unless you’d prefer eating with the Elves.” With another tap on his chest piece you added, “The Company’s stocked up on their families’ most embarrassing stories, we’re gonna share them, if you’re up for it.”

When you turned your hand brushed along the end of your long shirt tucked under a thick vest, leaving your armor for areas closer to Moria, his eyes scanned over your back while he straightened his outer traveling shirt and walked to your side gently claiming your bag before gripping the strap of your giant Hiraikotsu, testing its weight. The weapon nearly causing him to teeter on his feet stirring a chuckle from you as he realized just how impossible it would be for anyone to take let alone borrow your weapon, sharply inhaling he gripped it, raising it up and resting it over his shoulder.

The short walk over spread your smile as you tried to hold in your laughter as he wobbled each time it shifted along his back between his steps, “You have to time it.” He glanced down at you, “Your steps and how it moves. Takes work but you have to time it, hardest part about it.”

“I thought catching it would be the hardest.”

“Throwing it is much harder. If you don’t have the strength for it it’ll take you out before it’ll take another out or even leave your grip.”

Beside a large boulder you helped him lower your belongings and went to collect an armful of fallen timber as the Elf King lingered behind you stealing each stick and log he imagined to be over his mental marker for his to carry to lighten your load. With full arms you both returned as the Company stole glances at your massive shadow in a much more cheerful yet still timid mood around you. Around the Dwarves the Elves settled and stole glances at their King with hopeful smiles that he’d gained some ground back in your trust after their catching on to your first argument he’d obviously triggered. All obviously siding with their new Queen at just the remorse in the King’s eyes long before any of the guards had caught a glimpse of your pink eyes from the tears that had been drawn from you.

Through the preparation and sharing of the dinner prepared he happily sat beside you, inching closer whenever he could until his crossed legs were pressed against yours. When your dinner was through and cleaned up your hands rested on your thighs as the stories began your eyes lowered to Thranduil’s hand resting on his thigh barely an inch from yours as his fingers traced over the vines embroidered along the hem of his deep green outer shirt in his struggle not to claim your hand without permission. 

Halfway through Dori’s first tale about Nori in his youth your left hand moved over his thigh lowering Thranduil’s eyes to his lap to watch you grip his sleeve and move his hand to lower onto yours bringing his hint of a smile wider as he curled his hand around yours. Nearly the whole company got a turn before time was called to sleep and you all moved to from your usual sleeping positions in a partial circle with you on the outer edge on the bedroll Thranduil had set out for you to replace your worn one.

Under the stars your eyes lingered on the twinkling distant lights as your smile inched wider drawing the King to scoot a bit closer to your head, curling his legs tighter as he glanced up and lowly asked, “Any ones you’re curious about?”

In as large a reach as you could manage your arm extended to point up at one of the blinking specks. His head tilted to get a better view and inched his smile wider, carefully his fingers slid along your palm to guide your fingers through the figure it was a part of while sharing the story behind it then asked, “Are the stars different, in your old world?”

You nodded easing our fingers around his and reached up to rest your joined arms on his thigh above your head, “They’re nowhere near this bright, even out in the desert or near the oceans.”

“You’ve seen oceans?”

You caught his eye when he glanced down at you, “You’re not missing much.” After his next blink you continued, “Just sand and waves, not much different than waves in rivers. All you’re really missing is the seagulls and salty smell on the breeze.”

“Sea gulls. I’ve heard of them, all the tales of those off to sail. Peaceful birds singing songs of the west.”

Your scoff brought his eyes to yours, “Sorry. Our gulls and yours are far different.” His brow rose at your soft giggle, “They’re angry, angry birds. And never, never take food to the shore. They swoop and attack anything and everything. One time, my Cousin Are,” You giggled again, “She had her earring stolen. After about an hour of her screaming we went swimming and she got slapped in the face by a jumping fish that triggered a pelican to swoop down at her.”

“Pelican?”

“It’s, sort of like a weird looking egret mixed with a swan, they have this pouch in their beak. They fly down and scoop up a mouthful of water and fish, and I’m not certain if they start to digest in the pouch or they swallow them whole, a bit beyond my studies. But,” You glanced up catching his interested smile, “I never really liked the ocean. Felt more like an endless wall blocking me in.” His lips parted, “Back there, we could map the surface, sail or surf the waves. But you can only see so far down. The farther you go the larger the creatures, and it gets darker, and colder. And the people back there, we could only go so deep so everything deeper than that is just a mystery.”

“Sounds terrifying.”

“It is. Mountains and forests were always more peaceful for me. But I suppose it fits the whole Nymph part of my name.” His eyes lowered to scan over your face while his free hand slid over the tops of your locked fingers and hands with an enamored gaze as he told you one of the countless tales of Nymphs in their world.

…

 ** _“I promise I’ll be tender.”_**  Your eyes shot for Kili and Fili locked in a mocking conversation about Thorin and Bilbo’s vows for their nuptials. A giggle left you as Dwalin knocked Kili off the log with his boot replying, “Careful there lad. You’ll be up next on the alter so no jokes.”

On the edges of the forest your eyes shifted to the tree line once again a rustling caused your eyes to furrow. Across from the camp the Dwarves had set up you looked over the trees once again, the turn you made brought the Elves’ attention back to you and joined you in your search, but after a few moments they returned to their own camps while you cautiously hopped over a large rock to a bend in the river. In a glance down you eyed the log you were tying to cross before your head shot up and you eyed the tall blonde racing towards you,  _“Echo”_ sounded in a relieved whisper as his arms circled you. Behind you you heard the Elves all turn to inspect your possible attack only to see your feet shift making the log roll sending you both backwards into the water.

Your sharp inhale sounded when you surfaced again in the arms of the now standing dripping Elf carrying you to the river’s edge. Once on your feet again you turned to peer up at the blonde now cupping your face with a searching gaze over your face as tears filled his eyes,  _“It’s you.”_  He turned to glance at Thranduil’s Elves then back to you,  _“You’ve been in Greenwood? How?”_

_“I take it you’re Glorfindel?”_

His head tilted curiously as his hands lowered to your shoulders while you reached down to remove and drain your boots before adding them again as Thranduil approached you both and started to explain the situation. In another glance at you his head turned to where you were standing before you had walked into the edge of the woods with a curious bounce towards the trio of blondes all looking you over with partially awed expressions as they gazed into your eyes. Your growing smile halted their steps as you released your lip from between your teeth before your saying,  _“I was wondering when I’d run into you.”_  Their brows rose as they looked you over again,  _“I know you’re Haldir,”_  you leaned a bit to your right glancing at the blondes behind him,  _“And I’m assuming, Rumil and Orophin?”_

They glanced from you after their heads bowed through their repeating their names to you, a set of fingers in your hair signaled your turn to eye Glorfindel as he eyed your courting bell then turned to stare down Thranduil on his approach,  _“You’re courting my Daughter?!”_

In your turn you swatted his arm bringing his attention back to you with a relaxing expression as you said,  _“Hey, I’m right here you know!”_

Glorfindel’s hand settled on your shoulder, “ _If he-.”_

You swatted his arm again,  _“Again, adult, right here.”_

Glorfindel,  _“There is a tradition to these things. Rules to follow.”_

You rolled your eyes turning away from them to go join the Dwarves again, mumbling,  _“Again with the rules.”_

Glorfindel looked you up and down before glancing at Thranduil when he chuckled and shifted to join you through Glorfindel’s saying,  _“If your Brother was here-!”_

You glanced back at him and fired back,  _“Well he’s not! I spent, who knows how many years, centuries in that other world, Alone, except for that spoiled Princess Aredhel, who, if she’s the same one you escorted to meet Feanor’s kin, you should have left her wherever you’d taken her from. Pompous spoiled, arrogant-!”_

Your wards halted as he cut you off,  _“Aredhel?!”_  He stepped closer to you,  _“You’re certain?”_

 _“Aredhel Isfin,”_  your hand settled at your side just by your ear,  _“This big, obnoxiously ridiculous, dark hair, silvery blue eyes, can’t shut up to save her life, terrified of thunder storms.”_

Glorfindel,  _“Sounds like her.”_

You nodded,  _“You should have left her, no wonder you let her wander off. She deserves that place.”_ His hand settled on your shoulder as tears filled your eyes,  _“You, I don’t remember my childhood. I don’t remember how I got there. But I know who I am, and that I never, ever want to go back there again.”_  Your voice wavered as you squeaked out,  _“And you can’t just decide,”_  In a step forward he curled you against his chest in a tight hug nestling his head against yours.

In a soft whisper Glorfindel replied,  _“I’m sorry. I just want you to be safe. I’ve searched so long for you.”_

When you pulled back he watched you wipe your cheeks with your wet sleeve as you sniffled,  _“Well, if you really wanna see something, you can come join us in marching on Moria_.” His brow rose as you nodded and forced a giggle as you stepped back,  _“Watch me slice the head off a balrog.”_

Softly him and the guards whispered,  _“Balrog?”_

You turned with another giggle,  _“One rule though, tie your hair up this time. And come drop by the camp, I’ll show you my Hiraikotsu.”_  You turned again,  _“I may not be the most well behaved woman in Middle Earth, but then again, **well behaved women rarely make history**_ **.”** Your growing grin and giggle drew a smirk on Glorfindel’s face as he watched you turn and trot back to the edge of the woods and in a teetering walk on the unsteady log to explain the situation to the standing Dwarves before accepting a bowl of stew from Thorin.

Barely above a whisper Glorfindel said,  _“She is so much like him now.”_

Thranduil tilted his head to the side as he turned,  _“You should join us. For lunch at least.”_

Glorfindel,  _“Her, Hi-, her what?”_

Thranduil chuckled,  _“It’s a giant boomerang. Deadly. You should see her in battle.”_

Glorfindel joined him on the walk to join you as he asked,  _“You, really believe in this march?”_

Thranduil,  _“Jaqi does. I believe in her.”_

At your side again they caught your laugh as Fili snatched your bowl away and Thorin rolled his eyes and went to grab you another as you turned to introduce the four Elves as Glorfindel bowed his head to Thorin and asked, “Battle plans?”

Thorin, “Jaqi said she knows about a hidden door we can use to get inside.”

Haldir,  _“Not much of a plan.”_

You smirked at him, “Well if I was about a foot taller with a beard and the heir to Gondor’s throne I could call on the Men of Dunharrow-.”

Your words died as a green ghostly King appeared beside you sending you into a back step into Thranduil’s chest, being curled in his arms in a protective grip through the King saying, “Who dares-“ His scowl dropping as he bowed lowly to you, “My Lady Echo.” When he rose again he continued, “How may I be of service?”

Slowly Thranduil released you as you flashed the ghost King a smile and tapped Thranduil’s hand for release to say, “I was wondering. We’re marching on Moria, you wouldn’t happen to be willing to join us, would you?”

A smirk formed on his face as he bowed his head, “We would be honored to stand at your side on the fields of battle once more, My Lady.” With that he faded away on the breeze and you couldn’t help butt giggle.

Turning your head you caught Glorfindel’s eye, “Undead Army, check.”

He couldn’t help but smirk and he glanced between you and Thranduil, whose arms were still loosely resting around your middle and said, “I’ll fetch my armor and weapons. You’ll be here when I get back?”

Unable to stop yourself you replied, “Unless the White Lady locks you up to keep you from me.”

His brow rose and he stepped closer to you, “What, would make you say that?”

Your eyes lowered to your feet as you heard the muffled echo of a screech coming from your hidden sealed pocket in your boot. You shook your head, and flashed a quick smile, “Never mind. It’s just a hunch.”

Thorin, “This White Lady, it wouldn’t be the same one from Rivendell you told us to avoid?”

Glorfindel’s hand rested on your shoulder and he asked with slightly narrowed eyes, “Please, will you tell me what makes you not trust Lady Galadriel?”

“It’s hard to put in words. All I’ve learned about her, I just don’t trust her.”

With a nod he replied, “We will say nothing of your presence then. I will fetch my belongings and return with you to Greenwood.” You nodded and he leaned in to kiss the top of your head before turning to head into the woods again after a glance at Thranduil, who led you back to your chosen seat and collected a bowl of stew for both of you.

…

Loud vibrating shouts and clashes filled the Mines while wave after wave of the ghost army wiped out the Goblins and orcs rushing at them through the open front gate, with the Dwarves and Elves waiting outside. Upon word of Glorfindel and the Brothers joining Greenwood’s army a legion from Lothlorien joined in as well, all staring up in wonder at the returned Lady in strange armor hurling a massive weapon through the dark creatures. Swing after swing you awed them, but a loud thumping and the flames escaping the gates signaled the arrival of the Balrog. In an instant Glorfindel searched for you only to find you missing before glancing at Thranduil as he called out, “She does that.”

The pair of them raced after you when they spotted your leap onto a rocky ledge and sprint towards the Balrog now unfolding his whip. With barely a toe an his shoulder after your leap you started your swing and managed to turn, plant your feet and drive the weapon straight through his neck sending his head to the ground. The loop around of the weighty object sent you through another spin before you could plant your feet again and eyed the forces below you along with the awed Elves and Dwarves as the creature slowly buckled and dropped to its chest. 

In the drop your eyes shifted to Mirromere causing your eyes to narrow and brought a flicker of a memory to flash in your mind in the form of a low hissing voice.  _“You imagine yourself to be well loved fair one? My place here points to the contrary. All that is fair is not good, and you, little One, are far from safe from those with darkened souls.”_ The Balrog crashed into the ground and your eyes lowered to the ground as you saw a giant Dragon leaning in to stop inches from your face releasing a swirling mist from between his jaws as he spoke again,  _“You, fair Little One, are nothing more than a bartering chip. Darker forces swirl around you and your kin. Your home is gone, people scattered.”_  In another hissing inhale his golden eyes flashed brighter,  _“You are mine, to wander through the ages unseen or felt when you fade away from the lives of the demons around you.”_

As you stepped off of the Balrog your eyes rose and you smiled and chuckled weakly as Glorfindel clutched you in a tight hug, lifting you from the ground. Over his shoulder Thranduil eyed your face curiously as a tear rolled down your cheek through your blank yet saddened expression through a wave of memories of your childhood under your Brother and Glorfindel’s protection ending with your eyes passing over a mirror on the wall and seeing Galadriel’s darkened Swamp Lady face watching you pass through a hall stirring the first wave of fear through you in your short lifetime. When he released you your smile was forced back and he led you closer to the scores of Elves waiting to greet you properly as you shouldered your weapon, locking eyes with Thranduil and sharing with him in a mental whisper you would explain later.

.

One long night of your sharing with your fiancé left him feeling a hint of fear at just what he’d agreed to when he had confirmed Glorfindel’s opinion that Galadriel was trustworthy, the lingering reluctance at meeting with her. The image of your seeing a darkened image of her in the mirror from that piece of your childhood. Something about it stabbed at him, and in the darkened dusty elf filled hall after your sharing you settled against his chest, relenting to his request of remaining your pillow, along with his attempt to use his contact in a hope to keep any nightmares away. At the edge of the woods your eyes landed on the growing glow coming closer to you, as best as you could you remained calm and only relaxed at Thranduil ‘s hand easing against yours to hold it firmly.

When the Lord and Lady paused in front of you your hand tightened around Thranduil’s as your memories flooded back. The dull glow your exhaustion had left you with tripled drawing the glowing marks along your skin to appear, triggering Glorfindel and Celeborn’s as well as Galadriel’s eyes darkened and narrowed towards you. Her lip curled as her glow darkened causing her kin to step away from her as you glared at her in return. In a hissing voice she ordered, “Give it to me.”

Your free hand gripped and drew your katana you held at your side urging the Dwarves to step back while Glorfindel and Thranduil drew their swords as well on her next step towards you. With a weak chuckle you replied, “Such a pretty ring.” Your eyes dropped to Nenya pulsing brightly sapping her light drawing her darker, “Makes you wonder what you had to sacrifice for its obedience.” Her eyes narrowed as she started chanting in black speech sending out ripples of her hissing chant off into the distance summoning dark creatures, “Or should I say, who.”

Her chanting grew louder as the Elves, including the growing number coming from deeper in the forest, all armed themselves and scanned around them for any sign of threats. In another step to you you continued, “In the other world we have a story about a Queen and her mirror. Who yearned for nothing more than to be the fairest in all the land.” All eyes shifted to you as your light grew even brighter striking against her darkened burst of energy at you, “In that story she had a Daughter, fairer than any in the lands surrounding hers.” Off in the distant racing feet and barks from wargs were heard causing your hand to be released as they circled the pair of you, “’Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?’ Her request echoed through the kingdom, with all Mothers scarring their Daughters to keep them safe from their Queen. With all them safe, the only one after that drawing her eyes after this, was the Princess.”

In a glance over their shoulders the Elves glanced at Galadriel as she snarled at you and shrieked as Nenya shattered as you called out again, “Was it worth it? Your beauty?”

She dropped to her knees gasping for air in raspy gasps reaching for you as you stepped out of her reach to join Thranduil’s side as a wave of orcs raced towards you. Easily they fell while she beckoned more staring at you with her green tinted paling eyes while she clutched the grass to help drag her body closer to you between gasps and wheezes through her body withering. Her last repetition drew your eyes upwards as a giant black foot dropped through the trees clutching you drawing screams from the men below that all raced after you while Galadriel clawed her way behind them. Out of the forest they spotted the Nazgul you were frantically kicking and squirming in its taloned feet in its flight away only.

Gasps sounded from the men as they watched the giant squid from Mirromere shoot its tentacles out, gripping the nazgul and dragging you and the beast under the lake. In a full race towards the edge they watched your light dimming as the surface glossed over and sealed, not giving way to any of their attacks. Between their loud screams until your light was gone from sight completely they struck and attacked the surface, not realizing the rasping Lady had reached the edge and smirked as it allowed her to pass through drawing even more screams. The lake sealed again just as another wave of Orcs appeared, one by one they were brought down until the area was noted as all clear. With guards on the edge of the lake the mournful group followed the stunned Wizard among them muttering to himself on the path back inside Moria.

…

Between their hushed guesses at what could have happened to you Thranduil sat against the wall as tears streamed warmly down his cheeks as he stared at the floor in front of him stroking his palm at the lingering memory of your hand fixed in his.

Behind his lost gaze each memory with you relayed again and again, beginning with his guiding you through one of their dances in your first week. Timidly he guided your hands into place as he stepped just a bit closer,  ** _“I need to be closer to you.”_**

The dance continued until it faded ahead to the second night of the Feast of Starlight, those last few dances before your tangled path back to your gifted room where he’d once again followed you into your closet to remove your shoes and circlet in your giggling flirtatious conversation. Ending with your being pinned against the wall and wrapped around his waist as he stroked and kissed all the skin he could reach through his passionate claiming of you. Unexpected and brief but with it the bond was sealed settling you officially as his Queen, but with a knock on the door your loving embrace and deeply tangling kiss paused with a muffled groan from the King earning a giggle from you. A voice from the door called out for the King, who replied, “I will meet you outside.”

The click of the door and your fingers stroking his cheek brought his smile back and his eyes back to you only to close at your next kiss, “You’ll come back after?”

He chuckled softly claiming another kiss and lowered you carefully, securing his pants again, “Of course. I’ll hurry it along as fast as I can.” In a turn he grabbed your nightgown, carefully taking it off of the hanger and helped ease it on over your head after you pushed your gown down from its place bunched around your middle. He claimed it and added the gown to your clothes basket and led you back into your room and smiled through your fixing his robe as he leaned forward allowing you to fix his hair and crown then cupped your cheeks for a gentle kiss.

You smirked up at him and twisted from side to side nervously, “Now, go be a King.”

His smirk grew at your hand waving him away making him chuckle softly and bow his head, “Of course My Queen.” Rolling your eyes you turned to sit on your windowsill to look up at the stars while he sighed and left to head to deal with whatever problem they thought fit to take him from you.

Nearly to sunrise a single tulip was stroked along your nose drawing a scrunch of your face as you stirred from your sleep. The sun coated King smiled down at you offering you the tulip as he said, “I made breakfast, My Dearest.”

You glanced at his simple under shirt hanging loosely around him as he stood brushing down your blankets, scooped you up in his arms and carried you to the table he’d coated with his heartfelt meal to make up for his tardiness. Through it you draped your legs over his lap spreading his smile as you traded tastes of mixtures of the meal before your slide over to his lap soon taking you back to bed again to steal the last free portion of his day he’d cleared to share with his new bride.

.

Mingled with his regrets at urging your meeting the Lady that had led to your being stolen was your argument. A single mention of a few names of the actors you had known from the Dwarves, especially the two he had taken as former suitors had brought out a jealous near rage from him. His feet carried him directly to where you were, in his sitting room reading through a book he had lent to you as he barged in demanding to know the names of the men to have tried for your hand. 

Soon it spiraled into an all out interrogation from him quickly ending with his body halting mid pace after he had said, “All these suitors, I appear to be just one in a long line. What could possibly have turned you away from them, from what the Dwarves have told me they were very handsomely paid they could all easily buy your affections.” He should have stopped there but his next statement rapidly followed, “How difficult it must have been for you to be favored by so many, it begs me to wonder why you chose to leave at all.”

In an instant he turned with mouth agape at what he’d said to see your eyes filled with tears and your quivering lip drawing tears from his in return as the shame of his angered words washed over him. In a trembling voice you replied, “I spent, years, and yes, men have shown interest. But never once,” he stepped closer to you as another tear streaked down his cheek matching yours, “Each and every person I have met, I somehow have this ability, to take the kindest, most loving people and turn their hearts to stone. I have this small section of time I can remember, everything else is, nothing.” 

Your hand rested across your chest, “All I have, is me. No one or nothing else, just me. And everyone I care for and trust seems to turn away from that, for all my, amazing qualities, I am always found lacking. I am trusting you, with me.” Another tear streamed down his cheek as he drew in a weak breath of his own, “I understand you’re upset. And, I may seem to be so casual with my affections. But trust me, when I say, trust is not easy for me. It’s like breathing in flames, burning through me painfully when I know, a piece of me knows I’m going to be turned away or forgotten. It may be foolish of me to keep tearing my heart out for each person I care for, and the scars I’ve inflicted on my poor bruised and beaten heart hurts more than anything, anyone could ever do or say to me. But, I have to try, in the chance, just once, I can trust without burning, just once.” 

Through another shaky breath he stepped closer to you, “I understand you’re upset, and scared. But please trust me, I would never wish that place, on anyone. Now, I’m going to go pack for Moria, ad you’re under no, obligation to go. You’re a King, and, for everything I know, there are millions of subjects and events I know nothing of, and I cannot, give you my word any of your men will survive this.”

With that you turned to the door and he stepped closer, “Jaqi, I” your body paused to hear what he had to say, “I should never have doubted you. Am so-.”

His words died when you turned back to him and said, “I understand, I really do. You have a decision to make.”

“Is this, are you ending our union?” His wavering plea cut you deeply.

“You hurt me, even unintentionally, the sting is real. I knew there might be an, issue with how we courted back there.” Another tear streamed down his cheek as he felt like this was the end, “I am angry, and I’m hurt, but that will fade.”

His eyes met yours from their spot on the floor with a hopeful glimmer, “You’re giving me another chance?”

“I am terrified of trusting people, and I know you have troubles of your own. We still have a lot to learn about each other. I’m going to go pack.” Your back turned to him again and he watched you leave his room and walked to the nearest chair then collapsed into it. His body slumped forward and he covered his face with his hands berating himself for ever having challenged his trust in you.

… Back in Moria …

Gandalf paced once again while the Elf King was informed of the need to return to their lands at words from the borders needing reinforcements. In a burning glare on the path ahead of him, returning him to the room and kingdom he’d so recently claimed as half yours, Thranduil paused and flatly stated to the Wizard. “Mithrandir.” Gandalf paused glancing at the King as all the others did at his return to his formerly stoic withdrawn self, “You brought her back once, do it again.”

Gandalf, “King Thranduil, that took centuries to plan properly, and much longer than that to even locate her.”

His head turned to meet the Wizard’s eyes revealing his bloodshot pair dripping in unending agony, “Find my Wife, or I’ll tear you limb from limb.” His head turned forward and he continued his exit to retrieve his Elk for the race back to his lands. 

Returning went quickly and soon found him plenty of dark creatures to unleash his fury on before his eventual return to his rooms, where after a much needed bath he returned to his room and sat along the wall falling silent as every piece of him shattered while his tears flowed freely as every sight, sound and touch of his moments with you replayed for him over and over again. Locked in his enforced solitude, without even the comfort of the stars you had shared to comfort him. Without you the sky was dark except for the moon, without a twinkle to be found. Alone he would stay in these four walls, where he could still fell and see you, either temporary or permanently until word of your return or proof of your death had been named, but there in his corner he would sit, sit and wait, so certain of your return.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 10 “You have no power over me.” “You sure about that?”  
> 18 “Can you please go be stupid somewhere that’s away from me?”  
> 26 “I thought you forgot about me.” “Never.”  
> 131 “I’m gonna make you wish you were dead.”

**“I’m gonna make you wish you were dead**.” You grit out between your teeth after the four little children dressed as Hobbits fled after knocking you into a freshly painted wall smudged in five other places marking the others they had fooled into this same prank. Rolling your eyes you walked to the nearest bathroom and set down your duffel bag and giant Hiraikotsu along the wall as you unlooped the fingerless gloves from under your arm braces to rinse off the small patch of paint on your face. In the mirror you eyed your paint smudged kimono over your black leather armor outfit and sighed at the grey smudge covering your left arm. True you could just take the kimono off but as you eyed the outfit once again you sighed when you remembered you were not the one to pick dressing up this year.

Your final glance in the mirror rose to your now fully curled hair and long bangs now swept over the left side of your face leaving you to mumble, “Hmm. Straightening it should have lasted longer than the flight.” As you shouldered your bag and the giant plastic replica weapon you exited the bathroom and walked back to the exit, where, just as you’d expected Are had already gone. On your right a throat cleared as an eager greasy man coated in a golden shirt under a thick wool jacket, with a black unibrow and equally as off putting yellow zigzag smile through his stating in a thick accent, “My cab’s open for fares.” In a forced flash of a smile you walked towards him and his eyes dropped over your costume asking, “Ahh, Trestsen boys got you too then?”

You nodded, “It seems so.”

After you added your things to the trunk he walked you to the backseat and opened the door for you, “Well, don’t you mind about any stains. These blue fellas last year did a number on the interior, but I managed to scrub it out fine. Conventions tend to bring in quite a spread.”

Easing in you flinched another smile and shifted your legs inside signaling his rush around to climb inside and turn to ask your destination. A nod came from him at your stating the hotel you had booked and his rambling continued the whole way there until he accepted your bills and helped you collect your belongings, wishing you a fun convention as he climbed back in and raced back to the hotel.

On your approach to the main desk you caught the manager and a young teen with a disinterested sigh and eye roll before he straightened up with a full blush when he locked his eyes on you. Something about his awed expression stung deeply in your chest as a flash of a blue eyed blonde haired man clutching you tightly in his sleep flashed in your mind triggering a deep ache threatening to cave your being into the growing black pit in your chest. With furrowed brows the manager nudged the teen to head back to his duties as his voice nervously cracked out, “How can I service you today?”

Your brow rose as you glanced between the pair as the manager gave his arm a gentle push, “Jeremy,  **can you please go be stupid somewhere that’s away from me?”**  As Jeremy tottered away with a dreamy wave at you your eyes shifted back to the manager as he smiled and said, “Welcome to the _ Hotel. How may I help you today?”

Your smile flinched out against your internal searing pit spreading through your body, “I have a reservation under Pear.”

Before you he shifted to type the name into the system and nodded, “Yes, Miss Pear.” The papers were printed and you signed and passed them a card to copy for their files before accepting that and your room keys and headed for the elevator as they wished you a fun time at the convention. In the massive hotel you eyed the number on the card and took the impossibly short ride to the third floor out of the twenty offered, the same hotel Lee had mentioned he had been set up in a suite along with the other Marvel and Hobbit cast members filling the top four floors. Your room was small, nearly the same size of your apartment, yet this single bed hotel room was still way fancier than any you had been set up in before. With a sigh you set your bag on the dresser, leaving the replica weapon propped up beside it. Layer by layer you stripped and dug out a pair of jeans and a tank top you covered with an open flannel shirt.

Turning away from the bed you sat down and gripped your boot and felt a tear stream down your cheek as your finger slid over the small hidden pouch sealed with a zipper. Closing your fingers around it in a slow unzip your lip quivered through a trembling inhale that brought on another warm streak down your cheek as you eyed the single golden ring that dropped into your palm. A single quiet sob left you as your body slumped forward curling as you folded over onto your own lap clutching the ring to your chest. In the motion your ponytail slumped forward and a single silver bell tapped against your shin letting out a single soft jingle drawing out another tear.

.

Nearly eight months you’d been traveling, trying to find out about the world around you, exploring all you could. At least until you met Dewey. Up in the mountains you’d been shadowed by your Cousin, but the guide for your long hike through the Mountain trails came in the form of a chiseled blonde haired blue eyed imposing man with a smile that just melted your heart when you’d first drawn it form him. Nearly a month you’d joined him and his Son on the long trek ignoring your Cousin’s complaints between her bouts of flirting with the other guides. 

On the other side of the trail Are had run off with one of them as you took up the offer to see one of the more pleasant trails, which by the end of you’d found yourselves on a giant peak with only the stars around you way above the clouds as he promised you each and every one of them. A single weak giggle came from you in response until this golden band was tucked into your palm. That night you tangled up tightly in each other’s arms trading kisses and stories behind each glowing speck in the sky while he beamed at his ring on your hand.

Once you had left the trails again you had decided to accept his offer to stay with him and his Son in their cabin in the heavenly private mountain side allowing you a clear view of the stars through his small valley view safely tucked around a lake peacefully reflecting the stars. But those few months you had together were painfully ended with the news of one of his guide trips landing in the middle of what they all referred to as a ‘freak storm’. After, you tried staying in the cabin, but even his Son chose to leave and passed it over to a distant Cousin while you headed back to your Cousin’s manor after taking a few more months traveling trying to ease the pain and grow into your loneliness.

Yes you hated her and that place but it was free and allowed you a great time to try and repair yourself, something still excruciating as even your wish to simply stargaze to remember him left you puzzled at the shifting of the constellations. Not a single one was the same, each and every piece of him was gone, except for a few shirts you had snuck of his along with his ring and bell he’d braided into your hair on the first trail in a lack of any other trinkets to pass over to the woman he had fallen for.

Upright again you forced yourself to draw in a deep breath as you slid the ring onto your right middle finger and rinsed off your face again, changing your makeup to a more subtle way fitting your changing. Then you secured your boots on again and dug your phone from your bag. Holding the power button down to turn it on your lips parted at the number of new messages popping up on the inbox screen. Most from Lee asking where you were and one from Are saying Chris had sent a driver for her and was staying with him in his hotel suite and that she couldn’t find you and didn’t want to have Chris wait for her any more than he’d had to already.

.

“Where’s Echo?” Chris asked when Are arrived, looking her up and down, “What are you wearing?”

She giggled softly replying, “Oh, I’m Kagome, from Inuyasha.” She scanned over the back area to the convention center where all the actors were waiting to go out to their scheduled appearances.

In the middle of all this was Cate Blanchet taking her seat with her fingers pressed to her forehead with a pained sigh drawing a group of attendants over to her, soon to be waved away as she replied, “I’m alright. Just a bit tired.” A nod was given and a young female raced out to fetch her a hot coffee as she scanned over the room with her eyes piercingly lingering over the Hobbit cast, mainly Lee and Richard with a hint of a smirk easing onto her lips.

After another glance at his phone Lee crossed the room with the shielded Elf Lady watching as he repeated Chris’ question, “Where’s Jaqi?”

Chris pointed at Are only to have her pat his arm and say, “Her middle name’s Jaqi. Family name, remember?” He nodded with a puzzled expression only to listen as she replied, “Echo took off in the airport. Right at my side then, just, poof. Anyway she’d just be a stick in the mud anyways since her ex fell of a mountain or whatever.”

The guys grouped around her all nearly gasped at her cold statement before Lee asked, “What ex?”

Her eyes locked with his, “Oh just a guy we met on this mountain trail, oh it was amazing. I have pictures, Nearly a year ago now. She hooked up with the main guide, got all mushy into family mode with him and his Son, somehow managed to get the dreamboat to propose, then on one of his next guide jobs got stuck in a storm and now she’s all locked up about it. I mean, she only knew him for a couple months.” After scanning over the group she eyed Lee’s uncertain expression before adding, “Oh don’t worry, she’s dated since then.” On her right Chris got called away by his manager about one of the children he was set up to meet privately later. “All losers though, most terrible in bed.”

Richard, “Well I’m certain if she cared about the fiancé that much, anyone after would seem as a poor choice.”

Her eyes shifted to him, and she scoffed, “Oh no, the poor little saint never even got a second date with them.” Her smile inched back, “No, I got the second dates when they came to pick her up.” The guy’s brows rose as she glanced at her nails, “Did her a favor really. If I hadn’t checked them out she would have gotten hurt.”

All the men inhaled and turned to form another circle away from her following Lee as he dialed your number once again. On his right Richard said, “We really have to get her away from Are.”

Lee exhaled sharply mumbling, “Why didn’t she say anything about this.”

Martin, “Probably didn’t want to upset you during your filming.”

Richard, “We’d all have raced out to be with her.”

Lee’s scowl lightened as you answered,  _“Lee?”_

He inhaled sharply, “Jaqi, you’re alright? Where are you?”

_“Oh, I just got to my hotel. Had to change, these Hobbits shoved me into a wall.”_

He smirked and repeated, “Hobbits pushed you into a wall?”

_“Ya, in the airport. Got wet paint all over, had to change. Heading over, hopefully they’ll let me in, they usually have a time cut off.”_

Lee turned his head scanning the room and spotted his handler replying, “I’ll get you in. I’m sending a driver, just hang tight alright?” After speaking with his handler and giving the hotel details he returned to the group as he asked you quietly, “Are mentioned your ex?”

_“Which one, the guide or one of the others she slept with?”_

“The guide. You could have told me, any of us.”

_“It, you were filming, and really happy. I didn’t want to ruin it, I mean you and Rich live in your characters, at least a bit, it would have made it harder for you to stick to that. The others have families to tend to.”_

“You should have told me.”

_“It’s been eight months, you don’t have to worry about me breaking down or anything. Besides, you need to focus on your fans, heard you’ve got a picture booth or something this year.”_

He chuckled softly, “Yes I do.” His head turned allowing him a glimpse of cate staring right at him earning a quick smile from him before he continued his scan of the room where he spotted the attendants heading to get him. “I gotta go, but I will see you after. Anything happens till then, call me. Including if you need a rescue from your Cousin.”

You giggled and shut your phone after you’d traded goodbyes. On Lee’s left he looked to Richard and his smirk asking, “She was attacked by Hobbits?”

Lee chuckled, “Got pushed into a freshly painted wall in the airport, had to go to our hotel and change.”

Martin, “Our?”

Lee nodded, “She’s on one of the lower floors. I thought it might make it easier for all of us to hang out together. She insisted on paying for herself or i’d have her in a suite.”

Richard chuckled replying, “Of course, all of us.”

Lee rolled his eyes, “She’s being picked up, I have to go take pictures.”

Martin nodded as James and Graham stepped up to his sides, “We’ll show her around, and keep her away from her Cousin.”

…

Your smile grew widening the ones on the men’s faces when you were led through to the back area where your eyes locked on Cate and her fiery glare that dimmed greatly as she was led away to her first fan greeting. In the middle of the group you glanced up at Graham as he stepped closer to you at some of the others being called away, “Jaqi. You alright?”

You nodded, “Yup.” You giggled softly as he curled you into a gentle hug, “And here  **I thought you forgot about me**.”

He grinned at you,  **“Never.”**

Then led you towards some of the others until you were allowed to wander through the crowds and booths gathering a few souvenirs until you got a text on where to meet the guys for a late dinner up in their suites. On the path however your arm was snagged in a firm grip pulling you off towards a secluded corner.

Glancing up from the hand squeezing your arm you locked eyes with Cate and her near evil glare as she told you in a near growling voice, “I’ve got you now. They thought they could hide you from me.” Her hand moved to your hand trying to reach for your ring as you clenched it behind your back trying to pull away from her.

“Let go of me.”

An eerie smirk twisted on her lips, “ **You have no power over me**  here.”

Furrowing your brows you smirked back causing her expression to drop in confusion as you, replied,  **“You sure about that?”**  Your hand shot forward removing her low sitting hat as you let out an excited shriek, “Cate Blanchet!!” Behind you the crowd gasped and crowded around you both pulling her into picture after picture as you dug your way through them as security raced towards the stranded and possessed actress scanning over the crowds for any sight of you.

A relieved sigh left you when you broke free of the mob and looked up to see the guys eyeing you with soft chuckles as Lee offered you his hand and guided you with them to the waiting cars. All night you all mingled, drank and ate until morning when you’d all returned to your own beds, except for you at least, as you were now curled on the bare side of the bed Lee was sprawled across with his arm over your middle.

..

The following week you were guided around the city by the actors claiming a few days off before your return to LA with Lee. On his break from shooting he’d promised to show you around better and sure enough by the end of it you’d slowly worked your way through to a second date. 

Months passed and on a trip to visit Richard on one of his audition runs through Lee’s full day of filming and press meets, in the hall you’d been spotted and were brought in to meet the director after they spotted your ‘chemistry’ with Richard. By morning you’d been suddenly secured into the female lead spot of the film Richard had been on shaky ground on landing until he’d been spotted with a woman perfectly fitting the writer’s perfect lead. The group dinner that night had left you wondering if Lee would be upset only to find out he was thrilled at your reluctant shift in careers.

Slowly you lost a little more of yourself with each encouraging nudge from Lee, and the relationship that seemed so hopeful died a lonely silent death. For nearly two years you were led more and more into both of your new careers. Handed a brand new touch screen phone allowing for ‘easier’ contact between others, when you rarely had any difficulty in using it at all past the apparent embarrassment it cast on others to see you with a flip phone still. 

Not long after you were moved into Lee’s spare room allowing you space from Are and supposedly allowing you both more time with your new boyfriend. Each return again you found yet another gift from him, a card for his credit account he insisted you keep, if only for emergencies, shoes, dresses and jewels for your various events together when his work had him just barely missing spending time with you. But nothing personal, nothing with any heart behind it, no, he’d have to spend more than a few hours with you a week to learn what you wished for from him.

.

Nearing the end of the second year, when you’d not heard from Lee in nearly 5 months in any form after his not so subtle drift away from you, your things were packed and loaded in your truck you’d had put in storage when he’d insisted you use the car he’d bought you. All your belongings were packed with his card, the keys to your gifted car and the phone on his plan were left along with a check for the months of rent money for the time you’d been staying there since he’d been gone left on your bed. 

Your once popularly captured nights out had dwindled down to just two in the past few months and never for times you could share alone, always for public events that as seemed to have him fleeing your side or contact as soon as he could leaving you to mingle with others and often returning to your hotel alone after he’d left without you.

Soon after your first role you’d been nudged toward a lucrative modeling contract as well and into several more small roles leaving you on the road for months at a time, before being called for a massive one pairing you with yet another painful actor you felt anxious being alone with again. 

.

Back in England nearly ten months after the break with Lee you were cast against Tom Hiddleston, who had praised you thoroughly when asked about you in his audition, one that stunned him for a moment when he’d learned you’d told the director you were single.

Back in his car again Tom dug out his phone and called you on your original number you’d sent out to your friends when you’d given the old one back. Wetting his lips he selected the number and raised the phone to his ear and heard you say, “Hey Tom.”

His smile eased out as he replied, “Hey Jaqi. What are you up to today?”

“Thought about heading to the park nearby. You?”

He couldn’t help but smirk, “I just got out of an audition actually.”

“The _ one?”

“That’s the one.”

“How’d it go?”

After a chuckle he replied, “Great, I think. They brought you up.”

“Ya, gave it a shot yesterday. They seemed pretty happy with it.”

“Mind some company at the park?”

“If you’d like. We haven’t spent time together in ages.”

Making him chuckle softly, and take down your B&B information then said, “Be there in a bit.”

.

Looking over the quaint brick coated house you’d been assigned the rear apartment to for your week long stay leaving any future time there uncertain of any place to rent should you get the part, Tom smiled as he walked around the house after parking and met you outside your door. With a soft giggle you curled around him in a hug he happily tightened before turning to join you on the walk towards the park, silently loving your casual way of dressing having returned after the nearly year long bout of dressing better when you started dating Lee. In a glance down at you he said, “No pearls this time.”

Your eyes rolled as you shook your head and chuckled softly, brushing your hair from your face feeling your sweater settle around your arms and middle when your arm lowered again covering the tops of your jeans. “No. Left those when I moved out of Lee’s. I’m sure he’s found something to do with them by now.”

After wetting his lips he stammered out, “You, um.” In a look up at him again you caught his tongue darting out to wet his lips, “I hadn’t heard, about you two.”

With a giggle you replied, “I haven’t either.” He peered down at you and when your eyes locked again you giggled even louder hen looked ahead, “To be honest, we haven’t been alone together in almost a year.”

“Really?”

You nodded, “Been ten months since I’ve seen him at all, and nearly six now, since I’ve even heard from him. I’d say that, would count as a break up.”

“Wow. What an ass.”

You nodded, “I’m not even certain if he knows I’ve moved out yet, or I’d have heard something from the guys. He’s been traveling for work.”

“You talk to his friends often?”

You shook your head, “Not really. Used to, at first, now it’s a text or call when they’re in town or spot one of the ridiculous magazine or posters I’m on.”

He smiled down at you, “Well, I prefer you out of the pearls. How you were when we met.” 

“Comfortable and brooding.”

“Exactly.”  Making you smile up at him again as you both chuckled. 

All through the park you laughed and strolled through the park and found yourselves with hands locked gently by your return when he had to meet up with a friend for dinner, but not before he had requested a dinner with you the following night, to which you agreed.

… Earlier that morning …

Lee led the guys into the house from the car that had driven them from the airport after their latest fan event as Martin repeated, “How, ten months! Lee, your break up would be born and crawling by now! How did you go ten months without seeing her?”

Lee turned his head to look back at him, “She’s had work, I’ve had work.”

Graham, “Me and my Lady have work and we still manage two weeks a month together minimum.”

Lee, “She’s starting out, she has to take what she can to get started, you all know how it is.”

Richard, “True, but we don’t go six months without phoning home!”

Lee sighed and unlocked the door letting them all inside. Beside the door he right away noticed your usual coat and sneakers he’d chosen for you missing, “She’s probably out on a walk.” He walked straight to his room and dropped his bag on the bed.

Graham, “See, no trace of her.”

Lee turned to face him, “Her room’s down the hall, we only managed two dates with our schedules.”

As he went to make something to eat the trio parroted back, “Two dates?!”

Richard and Graham followed him continuing as Martin went to look for your room, “You’ve been together for two years!”

Graham, “You should have been on date 500 by now!”

Richard glanced around, “Where are your dogs?”

Lee, “Jaqi probably took them walking, or to the beach or something.” Inside the kitchen however he paused seeing the bowls gone causing him to look inside the pantry where they were put away with a note from his Brother that they were at his place until he got back. With furrowed brows he turned to the fridge mumbling, “My Brother has the dogs.” The doors opened revealing the empty fridge and freezer causing his lips to part before he closed them and turned to head to your room with the guys in tow. Standing beside the bed Martin passed him the note you’d left him on top of the neat pile of his gifts on the neatly made bed, he read your words aloud,

_“Lee,_

_Hope your filming goes well. I called your Brother, he’s grabbing the dogs in the morning. And I left your more expensive gifts, didn’t think you’d have much you could do with the clothes and shoes so I’ve packed those to get them out of your way. Your cards, keys and phone you’d given me are all there along with my part of the rent since you left, car’s in the garage. I look forward to catching your new flic when it’s out in theaters. No matter what I’m still rooting for you. If you do need me you have my number._

_Jaqi.”_

After rubbing his face he groaned and mumbled, “Perfect. She thinks I dumped her.”

Graham, “Ya kinda did.”

With a groan Lee turned and went to the kitchen to call for some take out mumbling, “I’ll go shopping later, and try to figure out what to do with the mess I made.”

They trio went to sit in the living room, turning on the tv only to have their lips part at the story playing on one of the gossip channels after they had mentioned checking to see if their event had been mentioned on it. When Lee walked in to ask what they wanted in their pizza he caught the end of the running story with you hugging and seen strolling with Tom in a park in London.

Lee, “Oh fuck.” His hand holding the list of toppings and crusts lowered to his side as he caught the anchor came back on reading a quote from the director saying you had mentioned you were single and the pair of you were excited to work together. All this swirling into rumors of a relationship between you both on screen and off after a mention of no one knowing your former assumed long distance relationship with Lee had ended at all.

Richard tapped Lee’s side and gently tugged his arm to have him sit beside him and say, “I’m sure it’s just friendly. Tom’s the one that turned her down years back.”

Martin nodded, “If anything I’m sure it’s just for the cameras or publicity.”

Lee, “They haven’t even gotten the parts or filmed anything yet.”

Graham, “Still, she’ll be in London for some time if she does, same time you’re doing that spot for that show, right?”

Lee nodded and Richard patted his back, “All you can do is go out there and talk to her. She turns you down, she turns you down. But you do have to at least talk to her, try and explain all this.” In a glance down he grabbed the list and held it closer to the others allowing them to choose their toppings.

…

Laying across your bed trying not to cry at the still endless flow of images flooding through your mind and dreams of your giant Dew Drop who could have been here, if able, to hold you and force all this excruciating loneliness away. A chime from your phone caused you to turn over and grab it with a disinterested sigh to read Richard’s message, “Just heading to bed at Lee’s. Why didn’t you mention his dropping out of your life?”

“Because I assumed you’d known, as his friend.” After a moment you added, “How did you find out?”

“Me, Martin and Graham are crashing at his place for the convention, you coming?”

“Not this year. Have a shoot out in Italy in a few days.”

“Film?”

“No, magazine. Part of my contract.”

“You don’t seem too pleased with it, at least not in text.”

“It’s not a career I’d have picked on my own few years back.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I got back from traveling, and wanted a different life.”

“Does this have to do with your former fiancé? If you don’t mind my asking.”

“It’s due to nearly everyone in my life telling me what I wanted was wrong. For decades.”

“I wasn’t one of them, was I?”

“No. Just the weight of little comments here and there. Now I’ve got what they all said I should.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to feel free again. With someone to hold my hand laying out under the stars.”

“Lee is sorry. He didn’t mean to cut you out. Just wanted to let you focus on work to get started. And to be honest none of us are happy about what he’s done. We’re all been very cross with him since he mentioned how long he hadn’t spoken to you. He’s just broken about it.”

“That would probably be more convincing from him.”

“He’s out to London soon for a role. So if you get the part he can spell it all out.”

You sighed and fired back, “That’s a big if. But, if, he does try to talk to me I promise I’ll hear him out.”

“Good, it must be late, I’ll let you sleep.”

“Good night to you too. Be sure to pass out some hugs for me to the guys, if you don’t mind.”

“Hugs all around, I give you my word.”

Shutting your phone you rolled onto your back laying your right hand over your ribs stroking your ring while your small bell pressed into your shoulder as the pit in your chest grew as your tears poured out from the corners of your eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks, barely, that was all Tom’s attention hovered on you before his noticing the slimmer far more interesting female having much more scenes with him. You only had five weeks to film what shockingly few scenes you both as the lead couple had together. Thankfully you remained quite private, and never went past a peck on the cheek in public, holding the relationship between you as old friends to the world protecting what little pride you had left as the gaping hole in your chest bled just a little harder from his repeated abandoning of you. 

All this through Lee’s sparce emails and texts wishing to start any sort of communications with you again. Alone and stoic you sat as usual on your sets, focusing on the script and notes from the director and writer wishing for you to get the role just right, sealing your reputation as dependable and dedicated in their minds. Though in all honesty it took all you had to not constantly be in tears on the set like you normally were in your newest b&b room making you feel like a giant at your need to hunch in several of the rooms.

In your third month a knock drew you from your bed, a low groan left you as you stood, reaching up to meet the roof reminding yourself not to hit it once again in the shifting roof height in the small office/mini apartment you had rented. Through the paned glass on the door to it you blinked adjusting to the bright sunlight soon dimmed by the giant body in front of it as they ruffled their hand through their hair after pulling off a cap. Under your breath you mumbled, “This, cannot be happening…Haven’t even had toast yet…”

Forcing a weak smile you unlocked and opened the door spotting Lee in his turn as he grinned at you anxiously. “Jaqi. Um.” His hand rose to rub the back of his neck unable to find the words.

“Your flight’s a bit early.”

“I caught a sooner one.” You nodded and he added, “I woke you up.”

You nodded, “After dark scenes yesterday.”

“Shit. Um.” His head tilted curiously as he asked, “After dark as in night time, or romance scenes?”

“Night time. Some firework car chase monstrosity. Had to sprint through alleys and a park for hours to time it just right on all the angles.”

“Ah. I feel even worse for waking you now.”

You shrugged, “I’m the only one to last the night without wheezing. You start up in three days still?”

He nodded, “Yes.” His eyes scanned over your shoulder towards the still packed suitcases stacked at the foot of your awkwardly small daybed in the opposite corner of the room across from the small couch and table across from the tiny imitation kitchen the room had offered. “If you have the supplies I could come in and make you breakfast, if you wanted.”

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He nodded, “Of course. Ya. I understand.” Wetting his lips he struggled against the urge to turn away only to glance back when you said his name.

“Lee.” His eyes met yours in a pleading expression only to narrow curiously as your hand rose and planted on the ceiling causing his lips to part and for him to lean down and peer inside seeing the other dips at the switching of areas in the apartment. “I have to duck in the toilet and bed area. Your role’s an actiony thing. I can’t have you hurting yourself.”

“Who did you rent this from, a Hobbit?”

You chuckled weakly, “Mrs Tilden is really nice. Barely four feet, but really nice. I’ve only got it another night anyways.”

His brows rose, “Then where are you going?”

You shrugged, “Saw some adds yesterday, but they’re not fond of the cameras. Had some troubles with actors before.”

“I,” He wet his lips again, “I’m renting a house, few blocks over, three spare beds. And it would give me a chance to apologize, and try and make it up to you. Your filming’s four months right?”

“Another three, actually. We managed to get a fair bit done already and something about flooding cut some of the travel scenes.”

He nodded again, “Well I’m here for four, so,”

With a sigh you turned, “I’m gonna get my shoes.”

A smile spread on his face and he crouched down with a chuckle and squeezed inside the doorway to get a better look of his place only making you giggle when you joined him again. “This, it is very homey.”

You rolled your eyes, “There was a lot of care put into it.” Missing his eyes scanning over the tight t shirt and jeans he loved on you then met your eyes with a more sullen expression.

“When I started acting I jumped on what I could. I had to focus on it. I know it’s a terrible excuse, but I really wanted to give you plenty of space to focus on it properly.”

“Not even five minutes a day, or even a week? You couldn’t just give me that?”

After a disappointed sigh aimed at himself he replied, “We were busy is such a pitiful reason to use. But it’s all I have.”

You nodded, “You could have texted me on the toilet if you had to.”

He couldn’t help it but his brow rose playfully, “You, wanted me to text you on the toilet?”

“It would have guaranteed me time.”

A smirk spread across his face, as he struggled to hold back a chuckle, “Yes it would have.” After a nip at his lip he said, “I promise, should, I win your trust, and possibly, just possibly get you to like me, even just a little again, I will promise you to always text you,” a chuckle left him as you rolled your eyes, “When I’m on the toilet.”

You giggled softly and nudged him towards the door. “Come on, you woke me, now you have to feed me.”

Lee chuckled leading the path to the door, “I feel like I should be recording these. For any future vows.” Making you giggle again, “No, I’m serious. Those are incredible vows. To always feed you when woken and to always text you on the toilet.” His smile grew when he was upright again outside watching you lock the door.

“I can imagine the looks of shame on your friend’s and family’s faces.”

“I think my Dad and Brother would be jealous not to have thought of them first.”

…

All together, since your first step towards dating after your fumble in the airport seven years had passed. Tears warmly still streamed down your cheeks through another sob you failed to contain as you packed your long since used duffel and large gym bag. On the message machine in the house once again Lee’s unnoticed recorded drunken conversation clicked off and saved when the machine went back to sleep until the next call would come in. Word after slurred word flowed freely from the man who’d so greatly changed since your first try together, one who’d hinted countless times at nearing popping a certain question. The hint of reluctance in your heart still lingered knowing just how poorly it would stand up against your first proposal, but you did truly love him, something his message paid no mind to at all.

Overall your pleasing personality and willingness to aid and support him through anything was a bit of an issue for him apparently, ‘too perfect’, was mentioned more than once. The sealing factor of his stated idea to simply ‘end it already’ was your pause in renewing your contacts with your agent and modeling agency. He simply didn’t understand why it would matter that when you had mentioned a feeling of not being safe in that modeling agency without any hard reasons not to, simply stating it was a decision a simple gut feeling shouldn’t stand in the way of when it came to the doubling of your salary and exposure. 

He did, however find aiding in the hunt for a new acting agent a bit enjoyable for him as yours didn’t like your being with Lee. But the final stab was that he simply didn’t wish to be the guy having to follow up to your ‘supposedly perfect former fiancé’ one again the pit in your chest bled and pulsed painfully at the following cursing recounting of the proposal you had shared with him in confidence when you’d first gotten together.

Wiping your cheek you eyed the giant replica weapons encased in cloth that you shouldered out of some deep draw to take it with you as the voices of Richard, Martin and Graham had seemingly egged on stung in your mind’s replaying of the message. Somehow your greatest friends had thought it healing or helpful, in whatever way, to allow their drunken friend to spill all of this, obviously without realizing you had been listening in when he seemingly pocket dialed you. Yes you’d forgiven him, but not this time. Not when he’d been so cruel and they had so cheerfully egged him on, even adding in their own reasons to the list.

But as your hand settled on the doorknob your eyes clamped shut as you thought about martin’s first comment, “I told you, from the first time she had just fallen asleep in my home without so much as an invitation, she wasn’t the respectful sort.”

Not once had you ever been to Martin’s house, and Richard’s after being, “And those cakes she made. Whoever told that woman she could bake was painfully obtuse.”

Graham fired in not a moment after, “Then she just assumed she was free to claim my rum that once. Honestly, the jam bags on that one.”

Over your shoulder your ponytail swung drawing a faint jungle from the bell you’d woven back into your hair in your decision to leave. As it fell silent your eyes opened through a soft gasp as it clicked in your mind, It wasn’t a trail guide you’d lost but a King, in a world you were so painfully torn from. 

A ring from your dusted off flip phone sounded signaling you to draw it out, in a glance at the scene your chest clenched seeing Martin’s name. After a momentary pause you hit talk and raised it to your ear hearing the echoing whispers of the shielded Hobbit currently hiding in the bathroom at Lee’s. “Jaqi, I, is this thing working?”

“I’m here.” Your voice wavered out.

“Oh, good! Well, it’s Bilbo. I’ve only a few moments left, Gandalf mentioned something about a time limit, Thorin and Dwalin were already pulled back.”

“Bil-.”

“Jaqi, I need you to know, Gandalf said something about returning to the crack. I’m not certain he knew where he was referring to, but, he said head to the crack and you’ll find the door there.”

“Crack?”

In an anxious glance around Bilbo stole a quizzical look at himself in the mirror before shaking his head and repeating, “It has to do with a memory about a hawk, one of your first you mentioned to Gandalf about your lost childhood.” A tingle went through his fingers as he felt himself starting to be pulled back again, “I have to go, he’s pulling me. We promised not to let you go back, come home.” A click on his screen later he’d set the phone down on the counter and felt his vision go blurry before his eyes opened to his room in Erebor again and he sat up first feeling his face then his hair and ears with a relieved sigh.

His eyes locked with Gandalf’s as he asked, “You told her where?”

Bilbo nodded, “Yes.”

Gandalf nodded with a soft smile, “Now the hardest part is up to her. To find this crack again.” His eyes met Thorin and Dwalin’s sullen figures slumped at the base of their chairs instantly feeling the hateful words they had urged out of the man poorly imitating your heart broken Husband still locked in his self imprisonment. Their eyes rose to meet the Wizard’s as he tapped their curled legs to say, “It is painful. But the ties had to be broken, or she would have stayed for any ties to him and you through the excruciating years time would grant her.”

They nodded and wiped their cheeks only to have Dwalin mumble, “Doesn’t make it feel any better. Breaking her heart like that.”

Gandalf, “I know. But, it will be worth it, to have her home again. Where she belongs.”

…

Closing your phone you looked to the door and exited, locking up and dropping the keys through the mail slot before you turned and eyed the taxi you’d called. One short ride after another you sat on a crowded bus staring out the window as it neared the next pit stop along the way to Arizona as you once again mumbled, “The crack. Really Gandalf…” with a sigh your mind wandered back to the first memory you had recounted to Gandalf on your prior trip to Middle Earth, one with your Cousins where you had befriended a hawk in the week long trip centered around the Grand Canyon. Softly again you mumbled, “I suppose it is rather small after seeing Moria and those tunnels.”

As the green around the long stretch of highway still lingered your mind wandered back to that first night in the King’s arms as you laid across his bed clinging to each other and peering out at the stars through his wall of windows. Against your neck Thranduil purred, “Which one do you wish for tonight?”

In a giggling reply you said, “When you word it like that it sounds like you’re gifting me the star Dew Drop.”

A smile spread across his lips as his head rose allowing yours to turn and face his, “What if I was?”

Your borrow rose, “I doubt the Valar would allow such a gift.”

He chuckled coolly and replied, “All the same, I humbly beg Eru, should you ever leave me, the stars are yours.” Your brow rose, “For I never wish to see them again in your absence.”

Warmly a tear streamed down your cheek as you could almost feel his lips on yours with his warm arms circling you tightly, drawing you to his chest once again. Shielding your sniffle you wiped your cheek and eyed the indent from the golden ring formerly on your finger, now zipped safely into your boot pocket again, wondering how it hadn’t affected you here after wearing it for so long.

.

With a sigh you were looking over the small rest stop around you before glancing at the small diner here only to snicker as your foot landed on the skateboard rolled in front of you through a pained ‘oof’ from the tall man having collapsed in a try at jumping the curb behind you. With a giggle you said, “Lio, you really are out of practice aren’t you?”

In an instant he leapt up to his feet softly saying, “Echo.”

The familiar voice drawing your eyes to the towering man with long curly raven hair down to his navel nearly with striking purple silver flecked eyes and small fangs identical to yours you recognized at once, “Ecthelion.”

A relieved chuckle stirred from him through tugging you into a tight yet brief hug then pulled back as he eyed you fully before curiously looking over the lands around you and asking in Ancient Elvish,  _“Where are we?”_

 _“Just outside of California.”_  His brow rose,  _“It’s a bit of a long story. But Gandalf’s holding a door to get us back to Middle Earth.”_

_“Gandalf?”_

_“Oh, Olorin.”_  His face lit up,  _“One of the Isitari.”_

As he glanced at the diner he wet his lips at the wafting scent of the food inside,  _“Are we stopping here to eat?”_

You nodded and guided him inside as he bent to claim his skateboard, curious of why he was gifted the strange contraption.  _“So, how did you get here?”_

He grinned at you _, “I won the right to return to you from Namo.”_

_“How is that?”_

His grin grew,  _“Chess.”_

_“But, it’s been Ages.”_

He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed chuckle,  _“Well, it did take me quite a time to master the game.”_

_“So for ages you just kept playing him until you won?”_

He nodded, opening the diner door for you and following you to the free one sided corner table with two small chairs on the sides along the walls granting him both closeness to you and room for anything he wished for.  _“How much do we have for food and expenses?”_

_“I’m quite wealthy here, order what you care to try.”_

With a quizzical brow he eyed the menu unable to distinguish what anything was past the pictures and relented to asking what you enjoyed and requested a match to your order. His smile only grew as he accepted the spare hair tie you had offered to him to pull his hair into a large bun while you gave your orders to the waitress smirking at him before his eyes shifted to the glimmer of silver tucked in your curls resting against your back. Gently he gripped the bell and held it over your shoulder asking,  _“Who are you courting? I cannot read these runes.”_

_“King Thranduil.”_

His lips parted under his focused furrowing brows before he said,  _“I know of no King Thranduil.”_

 _“Son of King Oropher, of the Great Greenwood in Middle Earth.”_  He blinked at you still unable to retrace those names,  _“Well, Greenwood is barely touching the borders of Lothlorien, which used to be called, Lindórinand, King Amroth, I can’t remember his Father’s name. Um,”_

_“I know the lands, I believed they were under the care of Silvan Elves.”_

_“They were, see, King Opherion wasn’t a King. He and his family lived in Doriath, when that fell they fled and were chosen to lead those Elves and joined with the Silvan Elves in Greenwood, who also accepted him as their King.”_

_“Glorfindel approved of this match?”_

_“Well,”_  You both turned to smile at the waitress bringing your food and thank her before you eyed him in his pleased inspection of the grilled chicken and baked veggies you had picked for you both before he claimed a sip of the iced peach tea you had also chosen with a pleased hum then glanced at you again.  _“At first, the gap between when I was taken from Gondolin and when I woke up in Middle Earth after, Olorin, had brought be there from this world, I couldn’t remember nearly all of it, or any of my former life in Valinor.”_  His expression shifted seriously as your words sank in.  _“For months I was on a journey to reclaim the homeland of my close friends, the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, where I met Thranduil. It wasn’t until we traveled to Moria after reclaiming Erebor that we passed Lolthorien, where Glorfindel spotted me, just a couple days before I was drug back here again.”_

_“Why here?”_

You lowered your glass from the sip you’d taken and raised your fork in your hand,  _“Lady Galadriel, from Finwe’s line,”_ he nodded understanding the line you were referring to,  _“She got a ring of power, one of the Elven three, which she traded, certain people, to increase her power and beauty.”_

_“People, what people?”_

_“Gondolin.”_  His lips parted,  _“She traded the secret barriers, and me to gain power.”_

 _“What right does she imagine she has to barter for your place so carelessly?!”_  He asked in a hushed whisper.

 _“I wasn’t the last. I’ve seen Aredhel here.”_  His brow rose,  _“Though her time here has done nothing towards her manners or cares for others.”_

_“Who else?”_

_“I’m not certain how many. I did hear from the Dragon that stole me she also was ordered to hand over her own Daughter as well.”_

_“When we return remind me to behead this so called Lady.”_

_“She’s trapped here. Followed be back after I destroyed her ring, tried to drag me back again. Eventually had to release control over her double’s body when the last of her strength faded.”_

A proud smirk eased on his lips as he eyed his baby Sister and her new found strength he hated you had to find on your own, somehow seeing the pain this world had inflicted on you in your eyes.  _“I am glad to hear it. I cannot wait to see this Middle Earth and especially this King of yours.”_

.

That night you guided your Brother to the motel near the bus stop and booked a room, accepting the last single bed room that he inspected curiously before taking his turn to bathe after you had, then smiled softly and joined you on the bed eyeing the food you had ordered and set there. Happily he sunk into sleep, full from the pizzas and smiling as he held you in his arms after your nestling there. The following morning with your bags and his on your shoulders he walked beside you on the street you were following that took you straight to the Grand Canyon national park. In awe he looked over these lands following after you, all through the park you followed the same paths you had all those years ago before your lips parted as you remembered exactly where you had found that hawk.

It took a few days but you had wandered your way back onto the same path you’d had to get lost all those years back to find. Peacefully you both shared all your times and pains the separating ages had left you to face through your near three week long hike. By the start of the fourth all those paths and rivers you had to cross had found you located outside a familiar crack in the rocky wall far too high to glimpse the sunlight over when you stood in its shadow. A smile slid onto your lips as you could feel a tingling in your fingers and wove your fingers with your Brother’s, who smiled against his nerves at the strange sensation, and followed you inside.

…

Seated along the wall of his bedroom Thranduil lost in his stoic silent pit of despair his eyes wandered from the bed again back to the doors of his balcony as his Son, who he’d somehow missed entering, had opened allowing a fresh breeze inside the room, nice and warm in the early night air as the first signs of spring were nearing. With a glance back at his Father’s blood shot eyes Legolas said, “Ada, you need some fresh air.”

Against his control his body rose at the notice of the time as interim King having left an exhausting weighty stoic expression on the once constantly smiling and soft, pleased by the simplest of things now unable to stir the smile it once did at his and his Father’s shared pain. Stiffly he walked to the balcony doors asking with his eyes aimed at the gardens below, unable to bear the pain of not seeing the stars you loved so dearly yet again, “The Niphredil constellation, is it shining brightly tonight?”

Under curiously furrowed brows Legolas once again eyed the sky confirming the presence of one of your favorites that had claimed its yearly chance to shine brighter, “Yes Ada. Just over the eastern tower.”

The King nodded, “Exactly where it’s meant to be. I hope she’s enjoying it, to ease her pain, at least.”

“Ada, Mithrandir gave his word, and Bilbo sent word, they had made contact and given her the instructions to the doorway.”

After a deep sigh Thranduil replied, clenching his fists on the thick marble railing, “Three months she’s been gone. And all the peace he can offer is to wait.” In a pained groan he turned to go back inside only to pause in the doorway at a soft flicker he caught in the corner of his eye. Slowly his eyes shifted to the glass reflecting small dots he got a clearer view of by shifting the door closer to him before he eyed the sky with parted lips. The small speckled reflected in his eyes, formerly absent since your parting drew a gasp from the Prince now growing an elated smile.

“Ada.”

A tear streamed down the King’s cheek as he whispered, “Thank Eru, our stars have returned.”

His eyes lowered to his beaming Son with a tear of his own streaking down his face, only to turn at the ghostly whisper signaling the appearance of the King of Dunharrow who bowed his head to the pair, “The Queen is nearly to Gondor.” The ghostly eyes scanned over them both, “I will pass the word to the Dwarves, she is calling to us.” Before questions could be asked the ghost King vanished leaving the pair to glance at one another before darting to the King’s closet to dress him quickly.

Deep in the Elven halls and the nearby green marble kingdom shouts for the preparations for marching to aid the stolen Queen filled each corner as all able and willing, except by direct order to remain behind for order or protecting the keep, the men readied to march. Though for all their eagerness the Dwarves could spare few, leaving simply the King and two advising Cousins, Balin and Dwalin alongside Bilbo readied to ride along with the Elf King and Prince leading their small legion of Elves ready to encounter anything. Nearly doubling when Lord Celeborn and Glorfindel joined them with even more protection for the Lords and Kings among them. 

All watching the stars for the truest path as the Elf King relished the chance to see his most precious gift to you, once again promising his chance to hold you under them the first night he was able to share with you wherever he would find you. No matter what, his Queen was home.


	7. Chapter 7

Step by step the winding crevice you led the confused Elf at your side through seemed to only grow longer while the sun in the sky never seemed to shift at all and yet you were suddenly coated in starlight bringing out a familiar set of swirls and dots across both of your skin bringing out your smile at the markings you had so greatly missed. With a sigh you both set down your bags and dug through them, in the dark you stripped and changed into your long since touched armored suit and weapons while Ecthelion to his surprise found his former set of mithril lined sleek armor and traveling clothes in a soft grey and pale blue. Securing the final straps on your arm braces his eyes scanned over the armor greatly resembling that of your kin in the start of the wars following the first Kinslaying.

In your bag you dug out the last of your breakfast bars and split it with him and continued guiding him through the winding crevice feeling the pulsing of the ring hidden in your boot as it wordlessly screamed to be taken back to its master. The hours passed and the longer you walked the more your smile grew as the flickering stars of Middle Earth sparkled above you brightly through your soft humming that Ecthelion happily joined you in reciting the traditional tune he and his Husband used to sing to you when you were younger. Together your hearts slowly stitched back together as the deepest holes you both had withheld from you in your parting was just how painfully you knew the other was missing and went in search of the but without any clue of what or who you were searching for, just knowing you could not give up.

Ghostly whispers floated around you stirring a giggle from you as you called out, “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

At your side Ecthelion glanced at you curiously only to pause and flinch back when a swarm of the ghostly army that had been scouring Middle Earth for any trace of you these past few months bowed deeply as their King bowed his head to you, “Queen Echo, there are no words for how grateful we are to see you again.” His eyes scanned over your spreading smirk, “What are your orders for us?”

“Would you show me the path to Mordor?” With a bow of his head the King turned and led your through their fortress with a few pauses as a grouping of trunks were dropped behind you out of nowhere. Curiously you approached them and eyed the first packed with your clothes and shoes you had neglected to pack, another your books, and the rest with gold and your gifted jewelry for all that you had earned in your time in that life. Cautiously you secured each again, wondering why it had appeared at all, leaving you to assume all traces of you had to be erased in the transfer to this world again. Contently you left them and your bags you could spare in their keep and joined the forces on the long trek over the rocky ridges until you found yourselves at the base of a familiar set of dark climbing stairs.

With a sigh you peered up drawing their eyes to you only to draw a ripple of chuckles as you mumbled, “I hate stairs” while your hand landed on the first shoulder level step as your foot settled on the first slick blackened ooze and dust coated soul destroying step.

.

Aching and burning your limp body flopped against the ledge marking the halfway point as your eyes shifted over the wave of clouds passing overhead. On your chest a snack was set and you blindly snapped off a piece of the jerky and chewed it, feeling your energy growing again in your stillness. By what would be morning you had begun again and set your giant weapon on the top ledge and knelt off to the side allowing Ecthelion to sit beside you sharing the last of the jerky while the soldiers around you stalked into the cave and scouted out the caves ahead and waited for you to join them before they began the race through the cursed city. Easily you had crossed to the mountain and were carried back again to safe ground then followed them to the empty plains surrounding Gondor.

Above the hills a growing sound of shouting coming from both Orcs and Men mingled with Gondorian curses. The pair of you raced over the last hill and eyed the giant army separating you from a familiar set of banners mingling with the Gondorian forces. If there were any doubts as to your location they were released at the sound of a great whipping in the air bringing your Hiraikotsu into the momentary focus of all the Men you were separated from. In barely an hour the forces were decimated and a curious set of Brothers stared at you uncertain of just how you knew their names.

On their feet the pair both rested their palms over their chests to greet you sharing their names again before Boromir stated, “I am not certain as to when we have met, My Lady.” Raising his eyes to scan over your blackened blood dripped boomerang resting across your shoulders then met your eyes again before glancing again at Ecthelion in a darting pace as your faces clicked in his mind and he bowed his head again, “Forgive me, Lord Ecthellion, Lady Echo. Welcome to Gondor, and thank you for your aid.”

At your names Faramir and the Men around you did the same before Faramir stated, “Please, join us. You must be in need of food and drink after your travels. My Lady we had heard word King Thranduil had requested us keep an eye out for you.”

You nodded, “Yes. I should probably write to him when we arrive.”

Boromir chuckled softly, “No need. Grandfather will no doubt send an eagle straight away after you’ve been shown to your rooms.”

“Are we that off putting or are we to be flaunted?”

The pair of them smirked and replied, “Flaunted.”

A giggle left you as Ecthelion stated, “By all means then, lead the way, mustn’t waste the light while there’s so many to meet and impress.” Drawing their smiles wider through soft chuckles.

.

Hours had passed and sure enough in your freshly gifted gown and long robe and pants for Ecthelion you were flaunted about. Meeting each noble and Council member within the city after your trial of a bath causing you to wonder just how Thranduil would have taken to your nearly eight year absence and just how upset he might be still due to his continued request for any word of you. All these years and the pain of losing him had tore at you mercilessly, and in the crowds mingling around you each stolen glance and secret intertwining or caress of a finger left you on the verge of bursting into violent sobs just aching to break free. But through your escaping silent tears you watched the rainbow of a sunset sliding through your room, coating it in layers of rippling colors across the white stone walls as the calming darkness of night slowly followed bringing the stars to ease your pain with memories of your Love.

Through the following day you remained the topic of interest while enjoying your inspections of the vast city before slumping back to bed once the doors had sealed, freeing you both to melt into your heartbreak when freed to your separate bedrooms. The long day had been packed with the greeting of each and every one of the Elves that had suddenly appeared in the fields outside the great city with all of their belongings with a few children and spouses scattered in between set safely in all of the empty spaces they could to be rehomed in the Kingdoms of their choice later. The stars that night however brought the growing sound of hooves clopping on the cobbled path to the upper ring bringing you upright. A series of shouts were heard after of Elven voices ordering for guards to spread out along the Royal Wing and overlook bringing you to sit upright and look to your door. On your left the door attaching yours to Ecthelion’s opened allowing him to race inside just as your doors were opened bringing Glorfindel and Thranduil appeared through it.

With a hint of a glance at you Glorfindel paused unsure of who to race to only to race to his Husband claiming a fiery kiss and embrace while the doors closed again behind the approaching Elf King on his path straight to you. Warm trails slid down your cheeks as he stopped beside the bed and froze, dropping his gaze to your hands resting on his blackened chest plate from the orcs and wargs they had to slice through to get here. Unable to find words he agonizingly searched his mind through your hands shifting over his sides and found then loosened the securing straps and ties there with his help before he tugged it off from over his head and dropped it carelessly along with his gloves he’d tugged off before eagerly dropping the outer stained shirt you’d removed as well. 

In the moment it fell off him he stepped closer to you only to sway backwards from the force of your folding around him, slowly dropping your legs from the bed as he stepped back to steady himself and gripped you tightly. His eyes slammed shut as your hands fisted the material across his back while your arms tightened causing his to tighten in return. Against his chest your muffled tear stained whisper sounded out as the doors opened again when the armorless Dwarves burst through demanding to see you. “I thought you’d forgotten me.”

Pressing his cheek to the top of your head he replied, “I will never forget you.”

At their entering you parted and your eyes shifted over the now sheepish men that had led the charge. Weakly you released Thranduil who took steps after you to remain at your side only to pause a few feet away allowing you space to hug the trio struggling to meet your eye. With a nod you glanced at Thorin stating, “Firstly, you are the painfully obtuse one who praised my baking for hours.” A smirk eased on his face after the gentle hug you pulled him into that he quickly tightened, leaving a tear stain on your shoulder when he pulled away. As you shifted to Bilbo feeling a tear roll down your cheek as you shifted your arms allowing him to finally crash into you with a tight hug, and settled there while your hands and arms gripped him just as tightly in return, “Thank you Bilbo.”

When he released you he stepped back wiping his cheeks, “None of us meant a word of it.”

Dwalin nodded, “Aye. Not a one.”

Your eyes shifted to him, “If I wasn’t suspecting it before the ‘jam bags’ gave it away.” Stirring his smirk out as well while he stepped forward for a hug of his own, during which you said, “And by the way, I never stole your rum. Can’t stand the taste.” When he pulled back his eyes met yours with a curious furrow of his brows, “Nori did.”

His brows furrowed even tighter as he growled under his breath, “That lying little-…”

With a dab of his handkerchief over his cheeks Bilbo stated after a weak chuckle, “Well, where to begin. There’s not much you’ve missed past scrubbing the Mountain, oh, the Eagles agreed to help me move. Settled nicely. Not much to tell past that, just been the three months.”

Your eyes flinched wider as a soft squeak escaped you only to have your quivering lips being covered by your hands through tears welling up in your eyes, with a stern clearing of his throat Gandalf eyed Thranduil’s hands settling on your arms in concern through pressing up against your back. Firmly the Wizard spoke as Glorfindel and Ecthelion moved to your sides, stroking your arms and back gently to comfort you, “Between our worlds there is a difference in time.”

Thorin, “Meaning?”

Gandalf, “Meaning, a few hours here could very well amount to a great matter of days in that world. That is why sending any of you was such a great risk, and why you only had a few ticks of the clock to complete your task.”

Expressions dropped as well as the hearts of the men around you through Bilbo’s soft broken plea, “How, long-?”

Taking in a trembling breath your hands lowered as you felt another tear break free in your cracked response, “Nearly eight years.”

Lips parted and arms tightly squeezed you in a fierce hug through your tears until the meal the freshly arrived Elves had brought up for you the other Lords and Tauriel shared with you. All eagerly sitting around you to hear about what you were willing to share through the meal before the topic of the returned Elves came up, something stirring smiles on their faces at the return of their long lost kin. As the night inched on they all went to bathe and change before claiming their beds. From your spot on your bed beside the snoring bodies of Bilbo, Thorin and Dwalin taking up a half of your bed with Legolas sprawled out across the foot of the bed allowing himself to get as much sleep as he could to recover from the nonstop travel and small skirmishes along the way.

The door to your attached bath opened revealing the Elf King on his path straight back to you, tossing his towel away and crossed the room with a spreading smile to curl around your side allowing you both sight of the stars. Settling with you in his arms nuzzling closer against you mumbling, “You should sleep Love. No one is taking you from me again.”

In a soft whisper you replied through your tear escaping and dropping onto his arm from the ridge of your nose, “I don’t want to sleep.”

Softly his fingers shifted to dry your cheek as he eyed the glittering sky through the large windows and asked, “Did we happen to finish the tale of the great mare constellation?” Your head shook and he nuzzled closer to you sharing the story back from the start again holding you tighter as you eventually drifted off in his arms. Only going to sleep himself when you had turned and curled against his chest through your Brother and Glorfindel slipped into your room from theirs next door and claimed the empty section of bed behind you, forming a large protective pile around you.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tad bit of drama, but i hope this wraps things up nicely. :D

In darkness the retrieving party all set up camp at their bodies nearing the point of dropping out of exhaustion for forcing themselves to march two days nonstop. A fire was lit for the stew a group of Elves were prepping as Thorin sat beside Thranduil drawing his eye with a soft clearing of his throat.

“King Thranduil.” He wet his lips feeling the tear stained determined gaze from the Elf King on him, “There is no gentle way to phrase this. Gandalf explained that we have other forms in that world.” Making the Elf King nod, “What I wished to say, will be upsetting I am certain, but from my brief time there, if what I hope to happen does come to be, I should be the one to inform you.”

Thranduil’s head ticked farther to his left to take Thorin’s figure in completely, wondering what he was trying to say, “Inform me of what?”

Thorin wet his lips again as his Cousins and Bilbo sat across from them beside Dain while Legolas slumped at his Father’s side resting against his propped up legs, all listening as Thorin stated, “In that world, I took a wife.” Thranduil nodded, “Who could not bear children, as it turned out.” Thranduil nodded again, “Jaqi volunteered to carry my children.” Thranduil’s lips parted, “I, felt, two children, twins. From what I learned there was no contact between us. Their healers referred to it as the turkey baster method.”

Stunned Thranduil repeated, “Turkey baster..”

Thorin nodded wetting his lips again, “It’s nowhere as crude as it sounds. Merely, my seed was taken and placed inside her womb carefully. I am certain there was no contact between us.”

Thranduil blinked for a few moments then asked, “What, exactly were you hoping for? For your other form and its wife to lose those children? That they might return with mine?”

Thorin, “My wife left me after Jaqi was confirmed as pregnant.”

Thranduil’s brows furrowed at the unfaithful woman abandoning him, “Who, how did that effect the children? If my wife is with child we may have to wait in Gondor for some time.”

Thorin nodded, “From what I understood, the three of us lived together, you both were going to help me raise them.”

With a nod Thranduil stated, “When my wife has returned we will see to her health and that of the children before we consider moving her, and after we, will honor our previous arrangement and, set a living arrangement.”

Thorin nodded, “My Sister will have settled in by our return, her and my Nephews and Balin could easily carry out my orders while I stay in Greenwood through the pregnancy and after if you wished.”

Thranduil’s lips parted, “You would willingly-.”

“Jaqi’s carrying my heirs. I would live wherever she deems comfortable.” Earning another nod from the Elf King while the few from the Company were pleased to have the matter voiced and settled so calmly.”

…

In a hushed tone Thorin sat and spoke with Gandalf in the ring of chairs near the fireplace across from your large bed he’d shortly stirred from, stealing glances at the your Brother and Glorfindel who were both easing their hands over your arm and back while the wide awake Elf King still held you tightly not wishing to wake you yet as he once again used his contact with you to confirm you were sadly not with child. A loss easily compounding the heartbreak of your loss while the time apart had him wondering just how long between their meddling and your return had passed.

Thorin, “Gandalf, you’re certain she was not with child?”

Gandalf nodded, “I am certain.”

Thorin’s brows furrowed, “But I knew. There was a portrait of us, she was clearly with child!”

Gandalf let out a breath, “From what I learned in my search for her the pair had already been born.”

Making Thorin’s lips part and Thranduil’s head to turn to glance at the pair before he moved his head back when his loose hair brushed your face drawing a grumble from you he silenced with a kiss on your forehead through a prayer to the Valar wishing for the safety of your children.

Bilbo, “Her hips have changed. That I did notice.” Drawing the men’s eyes to him when he joined them on the arm of Thorin’s chair. “I am certain they would not be left behind.”

Dwalin nodded, “Aye. My best peek was something about a wedding, why she wasn’t with us. We were supposed to meet her there.”

Thorin wet his lips, “She must have had them.”

Gandalf’s lips pursed as his head turned to the clamor growing outside he focused on while mumbling, “Or passed them to someone for safe keeping.”

Bilbo, “Safe keeping?”

Their eyes watched as Gandalf stood through Legolas’ sitting up and climbing over the foot of the bed to reach the door and approaching group. Through the door Legolas opened the argument earned another grumble from you making you sit up as the now furious Elf King released you, glaring at the messenger peering around the Elf Prince blocking his path to you. Anxiously the messenger stated, “There, there is a pair of Elf Lords here to speak with Lady Echo.”

Thranduil flatly retorted, “Queen.”

With a bow of his head the messenger looked to you as you rubbed your face and rolled your aching shoulders as he replied, “Two Elf Lords are here to see Queen Echo.”

Ecthellion, “Clearly it can wait. Who are these Lords to assume the right to wake my Sister?”

The messenger wet his lips and met your eye when you looked at him curiously, “They are, well, that is they claim to be the lost Elf Princes Elured and Elurin.”

A soft gasp came from you as you hopped up gripping your hem and trotted across the bed and to the door where the messenger stepped back as Legolas moved aside allowing you to follow the hall to the corner where the group of Men were trying to hold the Elven Princes from reaching you and drawing more Elven guards at the disturbance. Your company all followed after you with Thorin and Thranduil in the lead until the dark haired Elf Lords resembling Elrond turned their heads to you with growing grins as the guards moved aside allowing them to face you completely. At once their outer cloaks were released from their arms curled around the slings across their chests revealing the three month old babies just stirring from their slumber as your curled fingers stroked their cheeks.

Elurin, “We apologize for the wait, but Namo insisted we take the path we were given.”

Elured, “To assure their safety of course.” He smiled at you reassuringly at the twinge of guilt in your eyes, “We all have been replaced by mortal doubles. Richard will still have his chance to Father his young. Your children were never meant for that world. They could not have remained much longer, it would have broken both of our worlds had they uttered a word.”

Bilbo’s brows furrowed curiously as you accepted your Daughter’s sleeping form into your arms letting her curl against your chest as Thorin stepped forward accepting his Son with a heart melting enamored smile. His lips pressed to the boy’s dark curl coated forehead sweetly between muttered Khuzdul sentiments. After wetting his lips Bilbo asked, “How, exactly would they break the worlds?”

Gandalf answered, “Because as an Elf of her age, her blood mixed with that of Durin’s line would not be able to be cloaked upon birth. She was at least partially aware, unlike the others, whose young could easily be cloaked under the enchantment as well. But with her mind already clearing the enchantment would not work, and that world was not meant for creatures as powerful as Elves or Dwarves, especially as infants when their powers are raw and unmastered for years to come. Even a Hobbit could tear their fragile world.”

Peering over your shoulder Thranduil couldn’t help but smile and guide you back to your room with the Brothers bowing and being granted Ecthelion’s room to rest after their long voyage as a set of trunks appeared behind them with the twin’s belongings in them. Carefully you were settled in the love seat and you peered up at Thranduil who’s mind tapped yours silencing your ashamed expression,  _“Thorin informed me of his discovery of your gift on our travels here.”_  He sat beside you and peered down at the girl rubbing her eyes and smacking her lips as she stirred causing his smile to grow in his timid reach to brush his fingertips along her stomach, where his hand was tapped by hers.

On your right Thorin and Bilbo snuggled in his arm chair admiring the boy waking and blinking up at Thorin only to smile and reach up saying, “Pa!” The teary smile from the King settled into place as he raised up the boy to kiss his cheeks and let him pat and clutch at his beard and braids.

Dwalin, “What are their names?”

His eyes lingered on you for a moment with a curious smile before looking to the children you pointed at, “Thorin Crispen Armitage-Pear, and Margaret Belle Armitage-Pear.”

Thorin smirked up at you as Dain asked, “Crispin?”

You replied with a giggle, “It was a family name. Strangely enough loosely meaning curly haired.”

Thorin, “And my double insisted on them bearing both of our surnames, hyphenated.” Leaning in to kiss little Thorin’s nose, “In this world, it will be Durin-Pear, and he will be Thorin the third.” He glanced up at you, “We can still call him Little Thorin if you wish.”

Making you smile and glance at Bilbo who asked, “What does Margaret Belle mean?”

“Margaret means Pearl and Belle means beautiful.”

Dwalin smirked, “Beautiful Pearl and Daring Curly Haired Durin-Pear. We will be honored to see our heirs grow into such names.”

The tapping hand on your nose made your smile grow again as you gazed down at your Daughter who squeaked out, “Ma!” Carefully you sat her up so she could wrap her arms around Thranduil’s allowing him to lean in and kiss her cheek making her giggle. Sweetly he stroked her cheek with his fingers as Legolas squeezed onto the chair behind him to stir a giggle from her at his finger tapping her nose with a massive smile of his own.

Balin peered at her lovingly and asked, “Is there another name for Margaret as well?”

Thorin replied back in a sweetly smooth response, “Little Belle.” His eyes scanning over to her making you meet his eyes and silent request to swap that drew you to your feet to trade infants that called out your gifted titles then settled into your seats again for the group to lean in around you until they were each granted their own turns until you had to feed them.

.

A tea was set up for you as the twins slept under Gandalf’s careful watch giving him a chance to adore the sleeping duo under the soft blanket coated in small colorful sheep matching those on their onesies Thorin picked. In the seat beside Thranduil your free hand was claimed rested on your lap listening to their plans to lead you back to Erebor allowing the Durins to meet and welcome their young heirs properly.

Glorfindel’s eyes locked on you to ask, “You are feeling up to traveling?”

You nodded, “I’m perfectly fine now.”

Dwalin, “How old are the bairns? They are quite small for Pebbles.”

You smiled at him, “Three months last week.”

Thorin proudly boasted, “Born on Durin’s Day.” Earning grins on his kin around him.

Thranduil, “The birth went well?”

You peered up at him and nodded resting your free hand on his laying on your lap, “Yes, slept through most of the labor somehow, woke up quick trip to the birthing center we chose and out they popped. Got to go home the next day. The guys were in tears, I just wanted to eat and sleep for a good week after though.”

Thranduil chuckled, “Well deserved rest and pampering was indulged I presume.”

You nodded, “Rich never stopped hovering for the first two months. Over me and them.”

Thranduil, “And my double?”

“He had to work. Was gone for the first month and a half. Saw the birth but then had to fly back. He snuggled with them for hours when he got back though.”

Thranduil flatly let out a disappointed, “Hmm” as he sipped on his tea.

In a glance at him you asked, “Hmm?”

He caught your eye, “My double is deplorable and should be beaten with a bag of rocks for leaving you and your infants.”

You smiled at him, “Well you don’t have to worry about him any more.”

He smiled back leaning in to kiss your cheek, “Nor do you. We are here to pamper you fully. Thorin has written already and our apartment will be ready in the Royal Wing in Erebor by our return.”

“You’ll be alright with staying there for a bit?”

He smiled at you sweetly, “We will set up a schedule to travel between kingdoms. Your people will be well seen to in our absence. Celeborn has agreed to hold my place in my Council, his Grandson Ellohrir will see to his.”

Your lips parted for a moment making his smile flinch larger welcoming you to say what you were thinking, “Is he upset with me?”

Thranduil’s head shook, “Of course not. When he wakes from his nap he will tell you so himself I am certain. Galadriel did despicable things, but thankfully you were able to bring their Daughter back to them. They stayed up most of the night speaking, that is why they are resting so late.” His hand rose to brush your hair from your face, “Are you tired?”

“Little bit.”

To which he nodded and stood offering you his hand, “You should rest then Dearest.”

Offering your hand you stood and smiled at the group before following Thranduil back to your room with Legolas right behind, both laying out around you on the bed after you changed into a set of sleeping clothes from your trunks. Settling in Thranduil’s arms listening to another of his stories that faded into their hopes for the infants and everything they waned to show them in both kingdoms.

… Back in the other world …

Cluelessy Lee, Graham, Richard and Martin all entered the home you shared with Lee and Richard curiously looking around for any sign of you in their quick stop before heading off to the airport again. The clink of keys sounded when Graham closed the door to find your keys on the ground. “Guys, I think Jaqi forgot her keys.” He set them on the table and followed Martin into the main hall as Lee groaned rubbing his face at the lingering hangover form the night before and early drive back. The machine blinking on the table on his left drew his eye, and he hit the button to play the message on the machine.

All around him the men froze open mouthed hearing the horrible things they had said, as it ended silence filled the room leaving the panicked group to stay frozen until Richard pulled out his phone and rushed to your room mumbling, “My babies.” Within moments he was in the room and your number was dialed with the men right behind him all letting out a breath of relief seeing your full closet except for a few days worth of clothes you had already packed in the bags they helped you pack. Two rings later as they checked the nursery they saw all the spare supplies, clothes and toys your voice rang out through the phone he put on speaker.

“Rich, please tell me you’re not canceling. Between my Cousin Are and her rants, outrageous mood swings and this florist please tell me you didn’t choose to skip or I’m going to scream.”

They shared curious glances and Graham asked, “Did you lose your keys Love?”

A soft gasp came through the line, “Yes! Thank you! I spent near an hour looking through the damn koi pond for them when Are threw my coat in it! Going on about losing the silver specks in my eyes. Where were they?”

Graham, “By the door.”

You groaned, “Of course, must have fallen out of my pocket or something.” After a pause you added, “Oh, and Martin?”

Martin’s pursed lips parted as his brow rose, “Ye, yes?”

“I made sure they have boysenberry pie, though I can’t imagine why you asked for it, thought you hated boysenberry. And there will be a dj, so yes we can play the thriller and cupid shuffle at the ceremony.”

Making his face furrow curiously, “Thank, thank you?”

You let out a giggle, “You don’t remember you called me last night do you?”

Making him draw in a sharp breath, “I, um, not particularly. Did I say anything, out of the usual?”

“Other demanding the pie, songs and reminding me to pack your powder blue suit you left at mine last month. Not really, Lee’s abnormally quiet, please tell me he’s not drowning in the toilet after all you drank last night, the grooms are supposed to be the one with the stag party not the guests.”

After a weak attempt at a chuckle he replied, “I’m here, and upright.”

Through the line you giggled, “Good, your tickets are in the basket by the toaster, I have your suits and shoes, just grab the suitcases in the front closet and get out here.”

Lee wet his lips then asked, “You um, didn’t happen to get my call last night?”

Another giggle came through the line, “Did you make a pie request too?”

Easily relieved smiles grew on their faces at your ignorance to the message and Richard said, “Spent an hour singing about you.” Smirking at Lee knowing you’d demand a recap later, who smirked back.

“Oh really? We can talk about that later. Oh, don’t forget to see if you can find lambie, I can’t seem to find her either.”

Richard smiled spotting the stuffed lamb on the dresser behind the pile of extra diapers you must have set aside to pack more diapers into their bag, “Found her, she will be on the next flight out.”

“Thank you. Now hurry, my Brothers keep asking about you guys and won’t stop gushing about the twins, meaning Rich you’re missing out on sharing your stories about their first giggles and when little Thorin farted when your Dad first met him and Belle sneezing in both yours and Lee’s Brother’s faces when they met her.”

Making him laugh, “We will be out there as soon as we can Love.”

“Good.” A commotion sounded through the line and you huffed as Are shouted more nonsense making you huff and quickly say goodbye before hanging up. 

Leaving Lee to let out another breath as Graham turned saying, “I’ll delete the message.”

Lee rubbed his face and Richard grabbed the lamb along with another set of supplies just in case you needed it before he slung it over his shoulder and swapped their small packs of clothes for your prepacked suitcases, adding only their phone chargers and toiletries. Except for Lee, who added a small velvet lined box he pulled out from a spot he’d tucked it away in the very top shelf all the way in the back well out of your sight, before heading off to the airport smiling. 

All eager to share in your Brother’s long over due wedding, the celebration they’d happily welcomed Lee to use part of the reception to ask you the question he’d been dying to ask you for the past year since forming your new blended family.

.

Out in the center of the lush vineyard the wedding went off without a hitch after Are had been given something to make her sleep after her hours of claiming you had changed and weren’t yourself. No one would step in except for Chris Evans’ Mom who slipped her the pill in her drink so Chris could finally get their crying daughter to lay down for a nap. 

The entire time the men you had been unknowingly wronged by the night before all had their eyes lingering on you. Somehow seeming even more radiant in the sun coated outdoor service as Lee and Richard both cradled the napping infants you had carried on their chests. The entire service all Lee could do was count himself the luckiest man alive to even know you let alone to have missed yet another blaring stumble into ruining things with you. Something he swore to never let happen again.

Alone at your table at the reception your large smile mirrored across Lee’s face after your glance at Richard dancing with the twins in his arms softly singing along to the music playing lulling them back to sleep. Meeting Lee’s eyes you let out a quiet giggle asking, “Did you want a drink?”

To which he shook his head holding his adoring gaze on you, “No. I’m never drinking again.”

Wit another giggle you asked, “Oh really? Like the time you swore off snicker doodles?”

Making him chuckle, “No. Not like that. I am never drinking again.” Leaning in to steal a lingering kiss you leaned into, “I promise.”

You nodded, “Well, i’ll be tallying the days.”

After wetting his lips he scooted off his chair beside you onto one knee as you glanced up at the twins again, only looking back when you heard him say, “Speaking of promises.” With your lips parted you eyed the velvet lined box he was opening for you with a quietly pleading glance as you drew in a hushed steadying breath just a moment before he asked his next question.

 


End file.
